


Songbird

by Amelita



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 16:52:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 47
Words: 45,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2629172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amelita/pseuds/Amelita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I can't force you to love me and I can't force myself to stop loving you.</p><p>Repost: Originally posted May 2014</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kamara_Black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamara_Black/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I originally began this story with a very, very clear picture in my head. It was an MCD fic and extremely dark. Probably the darkest thing I've ever written except for Tiny Dancer.... And I finished it that way. But it was.... for lack of a better word... reviled? So based on reader feedback, I changed it, and continued it, but in truth, I've been fumbling along with it ever since. I apologize, but its still not finished. It will be someday, but not today. A huge thank you to Kamara for cleaning and editing it for me, she spent a lot of time getting this ready to repost and I am incredibly grateful. Thank you Kamara!!

The dog would not come back. He kept circling and howling and whimpering, nosing in some thick underbrush that was too dense for Mikhail’s horse to pass. Mikhail was frustrated, it was time to return to the castle and his side saddles were full of fresh kills. But perhaps the mongrel had a reason. He was his best hunting dog afterall. 

Dismounting from his horse with greater agility than one might expect from such a massive man, he strode towards the animal, which then darted forward into the tangle of thorns and brambles, following no discernible path. Mikhail groaned in irritation. There had better be a good reason for this or he was going to be requesting mongrel stew tonight for supper. The warrior forced his massive shoulders through the opening, pressing forward, even as the thorns opened his flesh. He could hear the dog baying and whimpering in excitement. Now he was just plain curious. Mongrel had never acted this way before.

He pressed through the branches and forced himself into a small clearing. The dog was sitting there pointing, just as Mikhail had taught him, at a pair of wings the likes of which he had never seen before. Small, but very delicate and so white they were almost glowing silver in the dark forest. Nothing like his own pair of sturdy black and brown thistled wings. His wings were designed for speed, but also stamina and so they were thickly muscled. The color was designed to blend in, you wouldn’t see the predator bird coming. He crept closer, a sense of wonder creeping over him. He might not have ever seen this creature before, but he knew what it was.

Mentally he reeled himself in and started checking for injuries. One of the wings was bent at an odd angle, obviously broken, with signs of punctures through some of the primary feathers. Carefully, he lifted the uninjured wing, freezing as he glimpsed what lay underneath it. The stories often went on and on about their beauty. But without ever having seen one, he had never understood before. 

Ebony hair tumbled like spilled silk across the ground. Long black lashes covered smooth blushing cheeks. A tiny button nose, delicate chin and full lips like rosepetals. Even his ears were beautiful, begging to be kissed and the nape of his ivory neck ....HE! 

Mikhail checked again to be sure.

Definitely, a he. The tiniest, most beautiful boy he had ever seen. But that small delicate blushing little sack between his beautiful hairless legs was definitely a give away. Mikhail shook his head. This reaction, to another male of all things... But he wanted nothing more than to cup the angelic boy's face in his hands, to kiss the pink pouting lips. feel the silk of his hair and the warmth of his breath…. Mikhail felt for the boys breath on his fingers. Steady, but faint. Too faint. How long had the boy been out here?

Grimacing in anticipation at the discomfort he was sure to cause this angel, he slid his arms under the delicate body and lifted him, repositioning the broken wing to be supported by his own shoulder. The boy cried out in pain, but did not wake. Mikhail walked far out of his way to find a path free of brambles. He wanted to cause no further damage to that creamy, delicate skin. He circled back to the horse, mounting with as little jarring as possible and steering the horse with his knees. All Falcon warhorses were trained in this.

As Mikhail neared the castle, he tried to remember what he knew about the Oscines. He remembered that they were purported to be much smaller in size that Falcons and very, very beautiful. He studied the diminutive form in his arms. Well, those things were certainly quite apparent. The ebony haired beauty he carried in his arms was tiny and positively the most lovely thing he had ever laid eye on. Supposedly, the Oscines had lived among the Falcons not long ago. He had just been a baby, barely a year old, when they had disappeared. One day, their world was full of color and song and the next, not a feather remained, or so people said. No one had seen them since. Not having ever seen one that Mikhail could remember, it didn’t particularly bother him. But it was different for the older Falcons. Apparently, the Falcons and Oscines had had their share of differences, but despite that, all the Falcons who remembered them, still grieved for the loss. 

Mikhail felt a strong sense of foreboding come over him as the watchmen ordered the castle gate be lowered for him. His eldest brother, King Asami HATED Oscines. He had forbid anyone mention them in his presence, and God save those whose tongues made a mistake. Floggings and forced labor made sure that the servant’s tongues made no mention of the missing Songbirds. Mikhail’s own tutor had been dismissed when Asami heard the stories she had been telling. No one had seen hide nor hair of her since. 

Why did King Asami hate the Oscines? That was the question. Mikhail couldn’t remember and was certain Asami had never mentioned it. They disappeared seventeen years ago, when Mikhail was only one year old and Asami would have been about twenty or so…. Perhaps it was best if the King didn't see him. Perhaps he should hide the boy, just until he was better…..

Giant black wings stretched overhead, darkening the sky as they descended. There would be no hiding. The king had already seen what his brother carried in his lap. Mikhail should have known he could hide nothing from those piercing eyes. They saw everything, always. The blond warrior hastily dismounted, kicking his feet free of the stirrups, he slid to the ground, careful not to disturb his load. The horse and dog were quickly led away by serving pigeons and Mikhail turned to the king. 

-


	2. Chapter 2

At six foot five, Mikhail was very nearly the tallest in the kingdom, besides Asami, but he lacked the muscle and heft that years of hard battle had given the king. Asami was a massive warrior, his gaze fixed intently on the silver white wings draped over Mikhail’s shoulders as he strode forward. His massive hands reached forward, cupping and lifting the boy's face, brushing his hair back, almost frantically. The boy’s soft white skin almost seemed to glow against the dark calloused hands of the king. Dark eyes stared down at the boy’s face for a long moment, studying it. There was something written in his golden eyes that Mikhail had never seen before.

“Where did you find him?” the king asked, in a low voice. Mikhail almost thought the king’s voice quavered for a moment. Almost. He never took his eyes off the black haired boy’s face. His gaze never wavered. It was like he was trying to memorize every detail of the boy's face. 

“About 6 miles east, in the brush. One of my dogs found him. He has not regained consciousness”

Asami’s eyes met his, his yellow eyes had turned nearly black. Mikhail could feel strong emotion coming from him. It was not anger, but Mikhail could not tell what it was. The king’s eyes were dark and full. Not of rage. But something else that was indescribable. Desperation perhaps.... but that was impossible. This was Asami. Nevertheless, the jagged scar through his right eyebrow stood out stark white against his tanned skin.

He spoke gruffly, “Take him to the healer”

Mikhail nodded his compliance. The brothers spread their massive wings and shot to the sky. Mikhail still clutching the slender body, followed close behind. The healer was a wise, old owl, but he had become a cranky hermit in his old age and lived in the far east tower of the castle. He did nothing and spoke to no one unless practically forced. Why Asami allowed it, Mikhail had never understood.

Asami’s massive fist pounded the weather wood door.

“Mind you! That door is older that you are! Show some respect!” Kirishima frowned up at them, his face going dark when he saw Asami but brightening just a little when he saw Mikhail standing behind him.

“Kirishima, I have a patient desperately in need of your help.” Mikhail nodded his blond head toward the bundle in his arms. Asami stepped to the side so that Mikhail could go first.

“Well, why didn’t you say so, I…” the old man’s voice faded in to nothing as Mikhail brought the boy into the large, airy room and laid him on the bed. The old man’s hands shook when he beheld the beauty of the delicate face, the way the silver white wings glowed in the sunlight, the gentle rise and fall of his fragile ribcage. He was perfection, in miniature.

“An Oscine…..and one of the rarest of those….this boy is an Ocatrice. I thought I would not live to see one again”. The old man again lapsed into silence, choking a little on his own breath.

Brusquely, he shook himself and began to examine the broken wing and lacerations. Muttering to himself, he felt each limb, probing the bones. Listening to the boy’s breathing, he thumped the chest, listening, listening…Taking the skull in his hands, he felt the spine, checking it with his fingertips, lifting the eyelids, sweeping his fingers over the bruising on his temple…

Asami and Mikhail watched in silence, arms crossed over massive chests. Their stances were nearly identical, but while Mikhail's eyes conveyed every emotion, Asami’s betrayed nothing.

Kirishima turned to Mikhail, “Where did you find him?” 

“6 miles east, one of my hunting dogs led me to him.” 

“And you found him like this? Naked?

“Yes”

“Nothing near the body?”

“No, nothing else and I circled the entire area looking for others”

“Strange, very strange,” the old man muttered to himself, “I wonder how he fell. Of course, the Oscines were never known for being particularly strong fliers or even having the best long distance vision for that matter; they are not predator birds after all… but this boy is old enough not to crash head on into a tree. And why is he naked of all things?”

Asami interrupted, growling, “Will he live?”

“Yes, oh yes, he should be fine. Suffering from dehydration and exposure, a couple of broken ribs. And of course, his wing there. But nothing I can’t manage. The knock on the head is a bit more concerning, you never can tell how those things go, but once we get him fed and rested, I should think he will perk right up”.

“Call me the moment he awakens. Take him to the dungeon and tend him there. Do NOT let him escape.”

Kirishima looked up at Asami, there was a deep anger flashing in his eyes that Mikhail didn’t understand, but he said nothing. None of this made any sense. The dungeon was cold and dark, it was no place for the fragile boy.

Mikhail protested, "I don't think we need to worry about that, with his wing the way it is, he won't be able to fly for many months. And he's not strong enough to get far on foot."

Asami's dark eyes gave away nothing. His answer was silence. The order had been given. 

And no one disobeyed King Asami and lived.   
Ever.

The king strode to the door and turned, "Mikhail, take me to where you found him."

"Yes sir."


	3. Chapter 3

In the end, the king’s massive search party came up empty handed. The dogs covered mile after mile. The fleet of Falcon warriors covered more than a hundred square miles by flying, their keen eyes sweeping the ground. Asami had called out the entire army for the search. But no sign of any other Oscine was found. Mikhail could feel his brother’s frustration pouring off of him, increasing with each passing hour that his men turned up empty handed and the night began to fall.

Asami slammed his fist against the castle wall, the wall cracking. He roared with anger, “Where did he come from? He didn’t just appear out of thin air. And where are the others? Where is his BROTHER?” 

Mikhail frowned in confusion, “His brother?”

Asami snarled, bending his knees and flying into the air, taking off like a shot, his dark wings quickly disappeared into the night.

“Well, I guess that conversation is over.” Mikhail turned and headed down to the dark depths of the dungeons. The torches were lit, casting an eerie glow on the empty halls. Apparently, the rest of the prisoners had been moved somewhere else. He walked down to the end, to the last cell on the left, the only one with a window. Knocking softly on the door, he waited patiently as the old man shuffled to answer

"Eh?" The man peered up at him with a grumpy expression on his face.

"How is the boy?"

Kirishima’s weathered face softened. “Breathing better, easier. Should be only a matter of time before he wakes up”

“I will sleep here tonight.”

The old man raised his eyebrows, but stood back and allowed Mikhail to enter. Mikhail studied the boy laying so still on the bed that had been brought in for him. He was so very beautiful, seemed so innocent, so harmless.

In a low voice, he asked the question that had been itching under his skin all day, “Why does Asami hate the Oscine?”

“Hmmm…. I am an old man, I have many secrets, but that is not for me to say. You will have to ask your brother himself”

"He won't answer me."

"Sometimes that is an answer too."

Mikhail frowned and shook his head. He really hated when Kirishima did that. “I am too tired for riddles old man, if you’ll loan me the use of a tatami mat, I’ll sleep right here. I want to hear him if he wakes up”

Kirishima shrugged and passed him a second mat, with a pillow and a blanket. He wondered briefly how Kirishima had known to bring two sets down to the small cell.

Mikhail drifted easily to sleep, somehow soothed by the soft sighs of the boy’s breathing. He did not notice the dark shadow keeping vigil outside the window.

-

The next morning, Mikhail was awakened by the softest, loveliest voice he had ever heard. He shot to his feet, staring at the boy in the bed. The delicate figure was sitting up, with some pillows behind his back, his chest still bare and one arm covered in bandages, his long hair streaming like black silk over his smooth, creamy shoulders. Kirishima was handing him a bowl. He startled when Mikhail moved so suddenly, spilling some of the hot liquid on his fingers. Mikhail was across the room, grabbed the bowl from him before he could spill anymore and set it down. He lifted the slim hand into his own rough one and blew on the tips of the offended fingers. 

His eyes were blueish green, like the color of the sky after a rain, framed by long, long lashes. They were vivid, shining, and so deep Mikhail thought he might drown in them. They were by far the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

“What is your name, beautiful one?” he said kneeling low and kissing the back of the white hand. Employing all the courtly charm at his disposal, which was generally enough to send the village girls to his feet, swooning. He ignored the old man snorting behind him.

The boy’s eyes widened in confusion and he attempted to extricate his hand from Mikhail’s strong grasp.

“My name is Fei Long, but- but everybody calls me Fei”

“A beautiful name, fitting for one such as yourself…” There was a sudden sharp pain in his ear as Kirishima dragged him back away from the object of his desire.

“Look Romeo, I realize you’ve never seen one of them before and so its not totally your fault, you horny idiot, but quit making eyes at my patient and go tell King Asami that he’s awake or we’ll both feel his wrath…”

“Too late” Growled a deep voice from behind them and they both spun to face the cell door which had suddenly opened. The king was there, dressed imposingly, all in black. His gaze was fixed on the aquamarine eyes that were staring at him in fear. He strode over to the side of the bed and menaced over the petite figure, the alarmed eyes widening even further.

“Where is your home?”

"I'm...not sure where it is from here..."

“Then how did you get here?”

“I was flying, higher than I was supposed to and I got stuck in a storm, the last thing I remember was the rain and the lightning and the wind….. and then I woke up here.”

Kirishima and Mikhail looked at each other. There had been no storm, no rain, for months now. It was in fact one of the longest droughts they had ever had, the land was withered, dead and dry. 

"Are you a Falcon?"

Asami nodded slowly, his golden eyes piercing, fixed on Fei's.

Fei gasped and shrank back in fear, “I’m supposed to hide from Falcons…..” 

“And who told you that?”

“My brother….”

“Akihito told you that, hmm?” 

Fei Long nodded.

“And just where IS your brother might I ask?” Asami’s voice was growing steadily calmer. 

Mikhail ground his teeth, his nails biting into his palms. Both he and Kirishima knew that the calmer his voice became, the more enraged he actually was.

“At home, in the city….I suppose with everybody else….”

“Are there many of you in this city?” The calm, soothing voice Asami was using was like nails under Mikhail’s skin, but Fei Long was oblivious to the rising threat.

“Yes, lots and lots.”

“Will you take me to your city Fei?”

“No…I can’t, I don't know where it is..... And even if I could, I’m not supposed to. Falcons are our Enemy.”

“And who told you that? Your brother I suppose?”

“Yes. He said the Falcons are a vicious, brutal people, that abused the Songbirds and enslaved them”

“Is that so?”

Fei Long nodded, his sparkling blue-green eyes looking suspiciously at Asami through long feathered lashes. The king's massive hand shot out and he took Fei Long by the throat, pinning him back against the headboard, his head cracking back against it. The beautiful eyes filled with pain and shock, but he was silent, muted by the forceful grip around his slender throat.

Asami spoke again, his voice harsh with anger, “That’s not quite how I remember it, but I can assure you that’s exactly how things will play out this time around. You will take me to your home Fei, and your brother. Or I will rip you apart piece by piece. Starting with those pretty wings the Oscines prize so much.” He grasped a handful of feathers with his free hand and ripped them from the unbroken wing. Fei Long’s whole body jerked in pain, a few droplets of blood pooling from the damaged follicles, dripping red down the pure white wings. His mouth opened in a scream, but he made no noise, a giant hand still tight around his throat.

Mikhail moved to stand next to them, grabbing his brother’s arm forcefully. “Stop this, the boy has done you no harm, he is innocent!”

Asami released Fei Long who fell to the bed, gasping and choking. Mikhail moved to stand between him and the older brother he barely knew and had never understood. The king's eyes were black again, clouded with rage and pain.

He snarled in anger, “None of them are innocent. Don’t be deceived by that beautiful face, Mikhail. They are all vipers underneath.”

He turned to Kirishima, “That boy is a prisoner and I wanted him treated as such. Shackle it immediately, keep the hands restrained at all times. You would be a fool to turn your back on it, even for a second. You should know better than anyone, what they are capable of. Eventually his brother will have to come for him, and when he does, I’ll be waiting.”

The king stormed from the cell, slamming the door closed behind him with a resounding clang. Mikhail held the trembling boy close, who watched him go with horror in his eyes. No matter how Mikhail tried to comfort Fei, to tease him and make him laugh, he wouldn’t say a word. Looking at Mikhail with eyes as bruised as his throat. The fingerprints already showing purple against the pale white skin, standing out just as starkly as the cuffs on his slender wrists.

-


	4. Chapter 4

They didn’t have to wait long. It was only hours later that another pair of silver white wings was spotted, approaching slowly from the east. Mikhail was there in the courtyard when the tiny figure touched down. He didn’t look much older than Fei, just a youth of maybe sixteen or seventeen, but then again he remembered what Kirishima had told him. That Oscines don’t grow past their teens; they always appear young and beautiful, even up to death. So there was no telling what age the boy actually was. His skin just as smooth and creamy, his wings just as blindingly white.

His tiny pale feet were bare and he wore a simple pale blue cloth, draped around him and tied around a tiny waist. Mikhail knew immediately that this must be the brother Asami had kept referring to. The faces were nearly identical, upturned nose, full pink lips with just a hint of a pout and those same stunning, startling aquamarine eyes surrounded by long, feathered lashes. The only major difference was the hair. His was silver white and cut short around his ears, exposing the delicate nape of his neck. Like Fei, he was so beautiful, it almost hurt to look at him.

The guards must have been ordered to shackle him as soon as he landed because the tiny figure was soon blocked from Mikhail’s view by large warriors. He didn’t appear to put up any sort of fight, allowing them to force his arms behind his back, submitting to the heavy chains placed around his thin wrists with an air of dignified resignation. He looked so small and fragile, flanked by the heavyset palace guards as he stumbled up the steps of the castle. Stopping only to stare at the tall dark spires before being shoved forward into the throne room. Once inside, the tiny, white Oscine shone like a pinpoint of light in a dark cave. All around him, the dark stone work of the castle, the dark haired Falcons, large and imposing, warriors dressed in black. He was pushed to his knees before the largest one. King Asami had shown no reaction when the beautiful boy had been forced down by Souh, the head of the palace guard, but slowly, he leaned forward. Smiling a smile usually reserved for the public beheadings of the kings of conquered lands. A victorious and cruel smile.

“Just you Akihito?”

The blonde head was held high, tiny chin in the air, “What would it have mattered, one of us or a thousand? We’d still be outmatched.”

His voice rang clear like a bell in the silent chamber, even calm and soft, it was still melodic, lyrical. Beautiful. Horribly out of place in the harsh, austere world of the Falcons.

Asami sneered, “I see you’ve finally accepted your weaknesses. The limits of your inferior breed. Have you finally accepted your place as well?”

The boy's eyes glared daggers at him, “I’m not here to let you bait me Asami, I’m here for my brother, let him go free. He’s got nothing to do with this.”

Asami’s eyebrows raised, “And why would I do that?”

"A trade, a brother for a brother. I'll stay for him."

“I see you never did learn how to negotiate, Akihito. In order to trade, you have to offer the other party something they don’t have already. I now have a pair of Royal Ocatrices, one of whom is known to possess the most powerful Oscine magic in centuries and his younger brother, as leverage over the other. And who knows what special abilities he may have? Why should I give up either?”

“My magic is useless to you unless given freely. You know that.”

Aquamarine eyes flashed and Mikhail glanced out the windows, clouds were gathering fast around the castle. Too fast and coming from the east and the west at once.

If the King had noticed them, he gave no sign, “Oh, I think I shall find ways to motivate you. All the more reason to keep your precious baby brother near.”

“I promise to stay forever and serve the Falcons, willingly, if you will only release him. And I’ll submit to any punishment you deem fitting”

The King looked coldly on him. The words dripped like acid from the his lips, “And the word of an Oscine? What’s that worth? We both know how easily your kind betrays their vows. You are a fool Akihito, to come to me to ask for mercy, to release your brother, offering only an empty promise in return. You should have accepted that he was lost to you the moment you realized he had fallen into my hands. Whether seventeen years goes by or a hundred, you are still a traitor. And no matter how much time goes by, I will still make you pay for your crimes. Indeed, you will submit to the punishment I deem fitting. Do you remember Akihito? The way the Falcons punish traitors?”

Mikhail gasped aloud. Surely he wouldn’t…..

For the first time, those brilliant blue eyes registered fear, flying open, his slender body jerking in response. “Ryu?!” he cried out, questioning.

Asami’s eyes filled with rage at the word and he stood; moving forward with spite and determination, towering over the fragile looking creature kneeling before him, picking him up off the floor by his slender neck. He held the silver haired boy, with his toes just off the floor, effortlessly in one hand. Impassively, watching him struggle to breathe. Unlike the time with Fei Long, Mikhail thought Asami really just might be trying to kill the tiny figure. His lips began to turn blue and just when Mikhail thought he saw the lashes starting to flutter, he dropped him. The small figure collapsed bonelessly onto the floor, rolling to his side in the nick of time, just millimeters from smashing his face against the cold stone floor, his hands still bound tightly behind his back. He looked tiny and helpless, laying there at the feet of the enormous warrior king.

He snarled, his words aimed at Souh, but his black eyes never leaving the gasping, trembling form on the floor, “Take this thing to the dungeon. Don’t let its hands free, even for a second.”

The giant bodyguard lifted the slender body up off the floor by the back of his tunic, dragging the weak, struggling boy off into the dark.

Mikhail felt Kirishima come up behind him. He turned to the old man desperately, crying out in disbelief and horror, “Why?”

He had seen his brother do horrible things, his ruthless brutality in battle was legendary, but somehow the act he was about to commit, against that beautiful, defenseless creature…..

The old man shook his head in sorrow.

Mikhail tried again, “Why would he do this? What did Fei’s brother do? What made Asami hate him this much?” He waved his hand in desperation, toward the iron door Akihito had been dragged through.

“Hatred that intense can only exist in the void left by great love….”

“Love? You have got to be kidding me. Asami doesn’t love anyone, including me. Are you implying that he loves the Oscine, the one he’s about to…?” Mikhail stopped, he couldn’t say it.

Kirishima shook his head, his hand passing before his eyes sadly, “Asami wasn’t always so cold. He wasn't always the legendary warrior, the King of the Falcons and the Emperor over the Land of the Rising Sun. He was once just a boy himself. Just a boy in love.”

Mikhail looked up as the black storm clouds began to congregate over the castle, the wind picking up suddenly, howling mournfully as it swirled through the halls of the black castle.

-


	5. Chapter 5

The shimmering white wings were held wide spread, trembling and straining from the stretch. Red blood ran in rivulets across the pristine color, spattering on the floor beneath them. He was bleeding heavily where the vicious hooks had been forced through his flesh. There were six in total, piercing the wings, holding them painfully outstretched. Almost as bad, were the manacles holding his wrists over his head. The metal was cutting into the delicate flesh. He was balanced on his tiptoes, the chains had been brought to their lowest setting, but this place wasn’t designed for the diminutive stature of an Oscine, it was designed to hold Falcon warriors, a much taller, stronger breed. 

Akihito was the only Oscine to ever see the inside of this room... and this was not the first time he had been in it. He had been here once before, a long, long time ago.

His eyes were closed. Every now and then he whimpered from the pain wracking his small body. If he moved even a little, to drop down from his toes; his shoulders felt like they would be dislocated, his hands torn from his arms, his wings ripped from his back and so he was forced to stay up. The cramping in his legs excruciating, but far overshadowed by the searing pain that lashed his spine every time his weight pulled against the holes ripped in his delicate wings. Lashes fluttered open, as if belatedly realizing there was another person in the room. But he had known all along that the other was there. A dark shadow with yellow eyes that had been watching his struggles from the beginning. The deep, familiar voice finally spoke. He heard it so many times in his dreams, but this wasn't something he would wake up from.

A deep voice like a growl spoke in the silence, "Why did you do it Akihito?"

His voice shook when he answered, “I had no choice.”

A long moment passed before the King answered. 

“You had a choice….you just made the wrong one.”

Akihito hung his head, silent, he had no response to that. The burning in his eyes, the burning in his shoulders and wrists, legs and wings was white hot. His head swam from the strain and he swayed for a moment. The pain jolted him back to reality and he cried out from the movement.

Asami moved to tower over him, scant inches away. His chest was bare, the tan skin crossed by the leather holsters of the Falcon warriors. His giant sword was still sheathed at his hip. Akihito felt a shimmer of relief at that, but it vanished quickly, when Asami’s hand found his throat again, strong fingers digging fresh bruises over the old ones. He forced Akihito's face up and their eyes locked. Burning gold and shimmering blue.

“Seventeen years Akihito. Seventeen years I looked for you. From the East Sea to the West Ocean, I conquered every village, every kingdom. I burned and pillaged and killed their leaders, always sure that you would be in the next one, hiding just over the horizon. Every drop of their blood is on your hands as well as mine….. Tell me how you evaded me so long and perhaps, I’ll make this quick.”

Akihito looked up at Asami and cracked a small pained smile, “Magic”

Asami’s eyes went even blacker, the scar through his eyebrow turned white and he backhanded him, the strong fist meeting the delicate bones of Akihito’s cheek. The crack rang loud in the silent cell. The pain in his face from the vicious slap wasn’t nearly as bad as the way it knocked him off his feet, forcing his body to fall so that his weight landed fully on the hooks in his flesh, tearing even larger holes in the tortured flesh of his once beautiful wings. He screamed in agony, panting and doing his best to get back up on his toes. His whole body wracked in silent sobs.

Asami held the exquisite face in his hands and traced the tears leaking from Akihito’s crystal eyes with his thumbs, watching them fall with a sadistic smile, “Ah, my little Songbird, at last you sing for me.” 

He dropped his hands and ran his hand over one of the tortured, trembling wings. Walking slowly behind the slight form, his leather boots sounding heavy against the stone floor. The only other sound was the panting of Akihito’s sporadic, pained breathing.

He ran his hand up the back of the slender white neck, pausing at the nape and threading his fingers in the fine, soft silver hair. His voice was cold.

“Tell me Aki, did you marry? Do you have a sweet, green eyed Oscine wife waiting for your return, bouncing baby brats? Will they cry when you never come home? Did you ever tell her how you used to lie under me, lifting your hips, taking my dick in your ass and panting like a slut? Did you tell her you love her, promise her forever? Because you promised that to me first, you traitorous little whore. Ocatrices mate for life... isn’t that what you told me Akihito?”

Metal scraped on metal as the razor sharp blade was slowly drawn from its scabbard. “Sing for me again Akihito…one last time….”

A storm began rage to outside, blood painting the floor, each and every scream was echoed by flashes of lightning and booming thunder.

-


	6. Pompeii

-

_And the walls kept tumbling down_  
 _In the city that we love_  
 _Great clouds roll over the hills_  
 _Bringing darkness from above_  
  
 _But if you close your eyes,_  
 _Does it almost feel like_  
 _Nothing changed at all?_  
 _And if you close your eyes,_  
 _Does it almost feel like_  
 _You've been here before?_

-


	7. Chapter 7

35 years ago

-

It started the day Akihito was born. 

Her son, prince Asami was as usual terrorizing the servants with his wooden sword. Striking at any bare leg within reach, the poor serving pigeons were practically running into walls in their haste to escape him. The Queen shook her head, fighting the urge to laugh. They weren't the most intelligent birds. The boy was his father’s child through and through. The only thing he wanted to do was fight. He was belligerent and rude, not interested in friends, only sparring, even at only three years old. But it all changed when the two palace Ocatrices had their first child. 

The tiny baby was curled upon his tummy, two perfect tiny little white wings resting on its back, his pink little bottom round as a little peach. The tiny lovebird was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. 

Prince Asami stopped slashing at the air for a moment and peeked in the crib to see what all the fuss was about.

His eyes widened and he froze for a moment, before reaching in to touch the sleeping infant. Her hand hovered over his, in case he decided to hurt the other child. He didn’t though, the back of his finger stroking the little one’s cheek softly until its eyes opened. The baby didn’t cry or fuss, just looked up at Asami with the most brilliant blue green eyes she had ever seen. Stunning. Asami moved his chubby, childish finger to touch the tiny pink bow of the baby’s lips and the baby began to suckle the tip of it.

“Mine” declared Asami loudly, firmly.

She rolled her eyes, oh lord, here we go again. They all knew how he got when he decided that something was ‘His’. She decided to placate her son.

“That’s right Asami, when you are king, Akihito will be your Ocatrice”.

The Falcons were a race of predator birds, having subjugated all other species of birds underneath them. It was the natural order of things. There were messenger birds, birds that tilled the soil, grew the food, worked the land. House servants and gardeners. Each and every one had a place. But the rarest and loveliest birds of them all were the Oscines. They were also called Songbirds or Lovebirds. They weren’t very good at much doing anything practical, but the first time she heard one of them sing; she understood their value. They had been nearly hunted to extinction. Their plumage came in all the colors of the rainbow, while beautiful, they made it nearly impossible to hide from the other predator birds like the Vultures, the Hawks or the vicious Eagles. They had come to the Falcons with an offer, a bargain. They would serve the Falcons, in return for protection from the others that hunted them. 

The king hadn’t been very interested in the Songbirds, despite their lovely voices, unable to see what use they might have. He saw only more mouths to feed. 

But then, they played their trump card; a pair of mated Ocatrices. Pure white with feathers that tinged pink when they went into heat. They were the most stunningly beautiful beings she had ever seen. But they were so much more than that. The magic of the four elements ran in their blood, they could control the weather, make it rain. She would never forget the feeling of wonder that passed over her when the female had raised her palms to the sky and raindrops had begun to fall around them. That had been enough to seal their fate. 

The land of the Falcons had been cursed by droughts and she knew at that point, her husband, the king would never let them go even if they had wanted to. His eyes had glimmered with greed and the knowledge that this power would finally clench his victory over his hated enemy; the Eagles. She knew there was more they could do, had once seen the male holding fire in the palm of his hand, but her short sighted husband never seemed interested in their abilities beyond controlling the weather. 

The Oscines were welcomed with open arms into the homes of the nobles and the wealthy, quickly becoming beloved members of the Falcon families. They certainly weren't treated as equals, oh the proud Falcons wouldn't allow that, but they were treated better than the others. They were good humored, lovely and skilled entertainers, their singing rang in the streets night and day, filling their formerly boring world with life and laughter and color. The Oscines were the beloved jewels of the Falcons, but none more so than the two Ocatrices. They were pets of the king only, kept from public view except on rare occasions when he brought them out to celebrate Falcon victories and their ever expanding kingdom. 

And now they had produced a child. The king had showered them with gifts, thrilled that his only son Asami and heir to the throne would also possess the power he had, securing the future domination of the Falcons over all other birds. 

Akihito would be Asami’s Ocatrice.

Her handsome, stubborn son's eyes flashed with irritation as he looked up at her and clarified his plans for the tiny baby. “Not my Ocatrice, my bride.”

“Asami, the baby is a boy and not of our kind. You can’t marry him.”

“Yes I can, when I’m the king, I’ll be able to do whatever I want. And I’m going to marry Akihito.”

She sighed heavily, there was no use arguing with Asami. He would figure it out and grow out of it, eventually.

-


	8. Chapter 8

Seven years later, he still hadn’t grown out of it. If anything his obsession had only grown strong. The Akihito's mother approached the Queen in the hallway, her round blue eyes filled with concern.

She bowed humbly, “Your highness, forgive me, but I can't find Akihito anywhere, would you happen to know where Prince Asami is?”

The queen fought the urge to groan. As surely as the sun rose in the east, they were together, with Asami instigating the trouble and Akihito following behind gleefully. Every attempt to keep them separated after they had been discovered kissing on the lips in the pantry had failed. 

Ten year old Asami refused to do anything, wouldn’t go to his tutoring sessions, hunting lessons, sparring, archery or weapons training. Just sulked on the rooftop and glowered at everyone who came near him. Little Akihito was just as bad. He would cry and cry and cry. His pretty eyes filling with tears and his lovely voice calling for his beloved Ryu over and over until they were reunited. 

She tried to assure the other woman, “Don’t worry, they will turn up. Lord knows, Asami won’t let anything happen to ‘His’ Akihito”.

The worry from the other woman’s eyes faded as she laughed. It was the palace joke, the way Asami was so possessive of the younger boy. He always referred to Akihito as ‘His’ Akihito. And just in case anyone had missed the subtle warning, his eyes were always shooting daggers at anybody who dared to come within three meters of the tiny blond boy. The first few years had been cute but now, it was honestly a little worrying. Asami showed absolutely no interest in any of the girls in the palace, his obsession with the tiny blonde haired boy unflagging. It was…unnatural. But she didn’t know what could be done about it.

-

“I’ll let you play with it, but you have to do something for me” said Asami, his eyes focused intently on his prey.

Akihito really, really wanted to play with Asami’s toy sword. “I’ll give you kisses!” He leaned forward and closed his eyes tight, his pretty pink lips puckered.

Asami shook his head, “No, no, I already get all your kisses, I want something else”

“What else is there?” Akihito’s eyes were wide and innocent, his lips still slightly puckered.

“I'll show you, I saw my dad doing it to my mom, but you have to take off your shirt first.”

“Ok,” Akihito agreed readily and pulled his top over his head. Asami grinned as the fine, creamy skin came into view and his targets; Akihito's tiny pink, puffy little nipples.

The older boy could smell victory, “You have to lay down and close your eyes.”

Akihito smiled and did as the older boy asked. Asami always made him feel nice. He thought for a moment though, Asami didn’t like it when he wanted to play with swords or wrestle. Said he would take care of him always, so Aki didn’t need to learn how to fight. His lashes flying open, he looked up at Asami suspiciously...

“And after, you’ll play swords with me, promise Ryu?”

“I promise Aki, now close your eyes”

He squirmed, but did as Asami asked. His tongue tickled……

-


	9. Chapter 9

Akihito was disappointed. His lower lip jutted out as he watched Asami take off with the others. Even at only twelve years old, Ryu stood just a few short inches under the other warriors, his muscles were still lithe and his limbs a little wiry, but it wouldn’t be long before he filled out like the rest. His wings were massive though, already bigger and stronger than most of the full grown warriors, an indicator of how much more he would grow. The King was so proud. Asami was also an extraordinary fighter and hunter. He could spot an animal from a hundred yards up and a mile away. And his arrows never missed. He was fast too, his wings thickly muscled. He had gotten so big and Akihito had remained the same. 

In private, Asami was the same to, as playful and loving as ever, but in front of other people, he didn’t hug and kiss Akihito nearly as often. Sometimes it felt like he was slipping away. Aki sighed and looked at his own delicate white wings. Asami said they were beautiful, but what good were beautiful wings? They were useless. Even for as small as he was, they remained hopelessly undersized. He supposed he was about normal for a nine year old, for an Oscine anyway. But when compared the Falcon children, he looked like he was barely five. It was so unfair. He flapped them experimentally, harder and harder, stretching up on his toes and closing his eyes in effort.

Nothing happened. Nothing at all.

He wanted to fly so badly. Sometimes Asami took him up in the air with him, held him close and let him see the view from above and smell the wind. And kiss him. He would hold Akihito tight, so tight and kiss his hair and his cheeks and his lips when they flew together. The little blond shifted from one foot to the other, thinking about how the older boy towered over him now and how strong his arms were. It was like he was turning into someone else, someone out of Akihito’s short reach.

He bit his fingertip and thought hard. Asami sure would be impressed if he could learn to fly on his own. He had seen others do it. It seemed like the easiest way to take off wasn’t while standing still, but rather once you were already in motion, from running or jumping off of something. So your wings had something to push off of, he supposed. He hopped up on the castle steps and stretched out his wings and jumped. He pushed against the air with his little wings, but it didn't do much. He thought maybe they slowed his fall a little….. obviously he hadn’t jumped from something high enough. 

Akihito ran over the garden and climbed up to the top of the tallest tree. He worked his way over the end of a sturdy limb and took a deep breath. If this didn’t work, it was sure gonna hurt when he hit the ground, even though it was soft grass. He jumped with his wings stretched out wide, just as wide as they could go. The tiny boy cried out in joy as he glided gracefully to the grass, landing lightly. He flew!!! 

He did it again and again until it got a little boring. 

He really wanted to jump from something higher next time. He looked up at the castle tower.... Perfect.

Akihito ran all the way up the stairs and peered down from the window. It was kind of windy up there. He bet this time he would go a lot further, maybe even to the edge of the garden. He took a deep breath and stretched his wings out just like before.

At first, it was perfect, he glided slowly down towards the ground.... but then he began to pick up speed. Dropping faster and faster until his little wings began to shake from the effort of staying open against the force of the all that air pushing up against them as he fell. It quickly became too much and suddenly they folded, pushed up and back completely. Akihito dropped like a stone, beating his wings frantically, but they did nothing to slow his fall. He plummeted toward the ground, blue eyes wide as he watched it rush up to meet him. He didn't even have time to scream...

Suddenly, he was snatched out of the air, pushed sideways, just inches from smashing on the ground. Asami tried to fly back up, but he was too low now. He couldn’t get any traction and he crashed, rolling sideways, tumbling over and over and over, his body curled protectively around the precious boy in his arms. When the world finally stopped spinning, Akihito opened his eyes hesitantly, peeking around him. Asami was clutching him tightly to his broad chest, his arms, even his legs were wrapped protectively around him. He wasn't even bruised.

But Asami was groaning. 

Akihito sat up like a shot, the strong arms falling away from his body limply.

“Ryu! Ryu!” He pushed on the chest and grabbed Asami's face in his tiny hands. His heart was racing in his chest. Ryu's eyes wouldn’t open. Akihito kissed and kissed the motionless face as he started to cry, big fat tears welling up in his aquamarine eyes and dropping down on Asami’s cheeks. 

He startled as Asami’s hand came up and dropped on the back of his head, rubbing the pale hair softly, “Ryu, are you ok? I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!!!” 

Asami groaned, “I’m alright, I'm alright, just a little banged up.”

The he grinned, stroking his fingers through Akihito’s hair, "It was worth it, to see you cry over me..." 

He still looked a little stunned from the fall, but suddenly his face went dark and he sat up, grabbing Akihito by his slender shoulders, yelling now, “What were you thinking Akihito, jumping from such a height? You know you can’t fly, your wings aren’t big enough!! There are limits to what you can do Akihito! LIMITS! You could have DIED! Do you understand that?”

Akihito wailed, the seriousness of what had almost happened finally sinking in. He was still crying when the king and several palace guards touched down beside them, all breathing heavily. The King looked down at Asami, concern written all over his face. “Is it alright?”

Asami glared up at the king, blood oozing from the deep cut through his eyebrow. “HE is fine.”

The king was oblivious to his son’s irritation. “Oh thank the gods. I don’t know how you managed to catch it in time. I’ve never seen anyone fly that fast. We must have been over a mile away when you spotted it escaping out the tower window.”

Asami nodded, slowly making his way to his feet, fighting the urge to groan. He was holding Akihito still, the little one's pale slender arms were twined in a circle around his muscular neck.

“I’m proud of you son, risking your life that way for the Ocatrice. Its good you understand their value, their magic is integral to our continued domination over these lands, critical to your power as future king. You must continue to keep it safe and protected.” 

The king looked sharply at Akihito who had finally stopped crying. He sniffled, lashes wet against his cheeks, snuggled up under Asami’s chin, “We really can’t risk another incident like this, perhaps we should consider caging it...”

Asami glared at him, his eyes were ice cold and level with his father’s. He would be taller very, very soon, “His NAME is Akihito. And that’s not why I saved him. I will NEVER let you or anyone else lock him up. Ever. He’s mine. I can protect him.”

The king was irritated with Asami’s show of defiance, but he backed down. “See that you do....” 

His voice trailed off as Asami turned and stalked back to the castle carrying the Ocatrice in his arms still. His shoulders were broad and strong. He stood tall. Yes, he was truly a son a father could be proud of, had the makings of a great warrior. Thanks to the magic of the bundle in his arms, he would accomplish great things. It was good he understood that, had his priorities in order. The king smiled to himself.

-

Asami held Akihito for as long as the rambunctious boy would let him. Akihito didn't let him just sit and hold him as much as he had when he was littler. He was starting to grow up and it made Asami just a little sad. He was still cute as ever with those pretty blue eyes and his long wet lashes. He always looked particularly appealing when he cried. Asami had a sneaking suspicion what was going on in his darling's head and what had led to Akihito's perilous climb to the top of the tall tower. He rocked him and whispered how much he loved him and how he didn't care if Akihito ever learned to fly because he was perfect the way he was. 

Akihito finally lifted his head from Asami's chest. When he looked up at the blood covering the side of Asami's face, he nearly started wailing again, before jumping off his lap to go run and get supplies to play nurse. Asami didn't really care much about the cut. A few scars would make him look all that much cooler. He would rather have kept Akihito in his lap. He grinned though remembering the guilt in Akihito's eyes......

Asami made a terrible patient. He allowed Akihito to fuss over the deep cut through his right eyebrow, letting him wash it and bandage it. He used way too much bandage and Asami came out looking like he had a tumor on the side of his head, rather than a cut.

He decided that kisses made his scrapes feel better and insisted that Akihito give him lots and lots of kisses on all his scrapes and bruises, so he would heal faster. Then he decided that he had a headache and wanted Akihito to mop his brow with a cool rag. Akihito had to lay on top of him with the rag and stroke his head or his headache would come right back.

Then he decided that he wanted something to eat. Made in front of him by Akihito and fed to him by hand. By Akihito.

Then he decided that his cute little nurse needed to be naked or it made his head hurt worse.

Akihito started to protest at that, but then he looked at the tiny flecks of blood seeping through the bandage on Asami’s poor eyebrow and he just felt so guilty he couldn’t say no. He stood there a little awkwardly as Asami looked him head to toe. Nowadays, he was only ever completely naked in front of Asami when they took baths together. And that was becoming less and less often, based on objections by Akihito’s mother.

He finally caught on to the game when Asami decided that squeezing Akihito's butt made him feel better and told Akihito to sit in his lap so he could squeeze his butt. Poor Ryu got a cold bowl of soup upended on his groin instead.

-


	10. Icarus

 

 

_Standing on the cliff face_   
_Highest fall you'll ever grace_   
_It scares me half to death_   
  
_Look out to the future_   
_But it tells you nothing_   
_So take another breath_   
  
_Your hands protect the flames_   
_From the wild winds around you_   
  
_Icarus is flying too close to the sun_   
_And Icarus's life, it has only just begun_   
_And this is how it feels to take a fall_   
_Icarus is flying towards an early grave_

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

The king was furious. His blood was boiling. A whole crop had been lost, the farmers were distraught. The kingdom was in chaos. All because of the strange weather. Freezes in June? Hail? Tornadoes?!! So far no one had lost their life, but it was just a matter of time.

He stormed into the Ocatrice quarters without knocking, his terrible gaze fixed on the cause of all the trouble, pointing his finger at it, “GET THAT THING UNDER CONTROL BEFORE IT KILLS SOMEONE!!!”

The king was quivering in rage and he was only making things worse for Akihito, whose fear spiked and cold hail and sleet began to fall again outside the window.

The king stomped his foot. “NO, NO, NO!”

The female Ocatrice approached him, hesitantly. “Please your majesty, he is so young. Usually the magic doesn’t manifest itself until much later. He’s simply not prepared to handle this kind of power so early.”

The king’s face flushed scarlet, “ENOUGH EXCUSES! I have been patient for months, he is destroying my kingdom, making a fool of me! You will get it under control or I will!!” His voice was a roar.

She knelt hastily, “Your Majesty, please be patient just a little longer, he is getting better at controlling it. This is simply an indicator of how powerful he will be once he gets older, far more powerful than the two of us combined.”

The king paused, his interest was peaked, “More powerful than either of you?”

The beautiful blonde head bobbed, “Yes, your Majesty. Akihito’s powers are far beyond ours. Ocatrice powers come from the five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky. While my husband can control the fire element and I can control wind and water, Akihito has the power of all five, including earth and sky which are by far the most powerful elements. No Ocatrice since the ancient ones have blessed with the magic of all five. His power will be limitless upon maturity, but please, you must understand, my husband and I are at a severe disadvantage in training him, as we do not possess the powers he does. Much of this magic is a mystery to us as well, especially those as related to the Sky element which is incredibly rare and hardly understood by even the wisest Owls. Please your Majesty, with all due respect, these inconveniences are miniscule in the face of the incredible gift we have been given.”

His eyes glazed with greed, he speculated while gazing at the tiny boy, cowering on the floor, holding his head in his hands as the storm raged outside. He hadn’t heard much beyond the two words that the small female had spoken. Limitless power?

-

They had to keep him separated from Asami. They had learned that his visits correlated with the dangerous tornadoes that appeared without warning. 

And thus, the rain continued to fall, day after day after day. They were all in danger of washing away. His parents had been at their wits end, as was the rest of the kingdom when an old wrinkled man appeared at the palace gate. He claimed to be a healer from a nearby village and that he could help the boy learn to control his powers. The Ocatrices protested when he took the boy to the high tower, insisted that they not be interrupted for three days straight, but the king allowed it. He was skeptical, but willing to try anything at this point, short of harming it. The promise of limitless power was still ringing in his ears.

Twelve year old Akihito stared wide eyed at the man sitting quietly and comfortable on the floor. He had never seen so many wrinkles. He kinda wanted to poke at them. He wondered if the man was sleeping he was so still and quiet. But he remained upright so Akihito didn’t think so. He exuded peace and it made Akihito feel calm for the first time since his powers has started getting out of control. It was night and his bald head shone in the light of the moon. It was the only light there was, the rest of the castle was dark. They couldn’t keep any lit flames around the castle anymore, because Akihito’s presence made them rage and burn wildly. Sometimes the flames jumping in midair. Water would freeze and boil without warning. Nobody could bathe and everyone had taken to testing anything before they drank it. Gusts of wind came from nowhere, toppling furniture. Plants and vines were sprouting from solid stone, growing wildly. Appearing from nothing. But of all the horrible things that were happening around him, the scariest of all was the way Akihito felt disoriented sometimes, thinking that he was opening a door to one room, but seeing another through it. Walking into the kitchen and ending up in the garden. He was terrified and told no one. The kingdom was in an uproar and it was all his fault. 

The king was furious and his parents worried and he couldn’t even be near Asami because the strong feeling evoked by the other boy made everything worse. The pain and worry in Asami’s eyes striking at Akihito’s heart. They were all helpless in the face of Akihito’s strong magic, none more than the boy himself.

He looked curiously at the man in front of him. He wasn’t a Falcon. He was an Owl and a monk. Supposedly a healer. Maybe he could heal Akihito, get rid of his powers. The silence was grating on Akihito so he spoke finally.

“Can you help me…. get rid of my power? Make the magic go away?”

The round eyes opened and looked at Akihito kindly. “No, Blessed One, no one can make your powers go away. They are as much a part of you as your lovely wings. But I will help you learn to control them, to wield them. One day you will no longer fear them, I promise.”

Akihito felt a sense of hope and the sky outside cleared of clouds suddenly, the moon appearing round and full in the sky. “Truly?”

“Truly”

“What should I call you?”

“You will call me Sensei, but to others I am known as Kirishima.” 

Akihito bowed low, “Hai, Sensei.”

“Lesson one, learning to be comfortable in the silence, become one with emptiness. Such is the path to peace of the mind. Come sit next to me, clear your mind”

The fragile blonde did as he was bid, the night outside slowly became peaceful and still. The sky cleared and the moon shining brightly.

Far away, woken by the strange quiet of the peaceful night, Asami looked up at the moon and smiled.

-


	12. Chapter 12

“Excellent. Again.”

Akihito sighed. How many times would Kirishima make him do this today? But he didn’t say anything, just began the recitation again. He had learned the movements long ago. They came easily now, like a dance, he moved from one form to another, gracefully holding each pose until shifting into the next. The recitation that had been so hard to learn in the beginning was now like a song, one he knew by heart.

“地 Chi meaning Earth, the solid objects of the earth. Rock and Stone. Resistant to movement or change. Stubbornness, stability, and gravity. It is a desire to have things remain as they are; a resistance to change.

"水 Mizu meaning 'Water', represents the fluid, flowing, formless things in the world. River, rain, lakes and plants which adapt to their environment, always growing and changing. It represents change, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness."

"火 Ka, meaning 'Fire', represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Animals, capable of movement and full of forceful energy. It represents drive and passion, ambition, heat and desire."

"風 Fū meaning 'Wind' represents things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement. It is air, smoke, and the human mind. It is will, elusiveness, evasiveness, benevolence, compassion, and wisdom.”

The last part was always the hardest. The poses becoming increasingly more difficult.

" 空 Sora, meaning 'Void', or 'Sky', represents all that which is beyond human experience, things composed of pure energy. It represents spirit, thought, and creative energy. Our ability to think and to communicate, as well as create. It is highest of the elements."

He ended in the last pose, holding it calmly. He no longer panted quite as heavily at the end. Akihito felt proud.

“Excellent, you may sit.” Kirishima pierced him with his sharp owlish eyes. “And what is the void? What does it mean?”

Akihito responded, “Voidness does NOT mean nothingness, but rather that all things lack intrinsic reality, intrinsic objectivity, intrinsic identity or intrinsic referentiality. Lacking such static essence or substance does not make them not exist, it makes them thoroughly relative.”

“And why do we meditate on it?”

“To reach a voided state in which one is empty of disturbance, concentrating and focusing on the absence or presence of disturbances in one’s mind. If a disturbance is found, you must acknowledge it it and allow it drop away, leading to deeper states of calmness”

“Good, we will meditate now, however today is different. Today I wish you to concentrate on the fire element. Hold out your hands.” 

Kirishima pulled out a flint and a knife. He nodded to Akihito. “Can you make it burn?”

Akihito nodded. He thought so. As long as he had something to start with.

It took him more than a few tries, but finally he captured the tiny spark in his hands, keeping it alive, feeding it energy until a strong flame glowed, rising from his palm, slowly growing and spreading, over his hand, moving almost like a small animal as it writhed over his skin. It looked as though his hand had burst into flame, but his skin remained cool, energy flowing from him into the fire, instead of the other way around.

Kirishima made him repeat it over and over until he could catch the spark on the first try, turning it into a fiery blaze hovering in midair almost immediately. Only when he could accomplish it with ease, manipulating the flame in any way he desired, did Kirishima dismiss his exhausted and exhilarated pupil.

-

He was thrilled. Sunlight sparkling through the palace windows, bright blue sky visible outside. He ran through the halls looking for Asami. Their time together had been limited as both of their respective training took up most of their hours. He missed him and he couldn’t wait to show him what Kirishima had taught him. He finally found him, his eyes focused on the tallest figure among all the warriors there, running into the throne room full speed oblivious to his surroundings. Only after he had plunged into the crowd, did he realize his mistake. Freezing when many pairs of dark eyes turned and focused on him. He gulped and began to back away, but it was too late.

“Akihito? Is everything alright?” Asami strode toward him and leaned down, smiling.

He shifted nervously, foot to foot. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt…I just wanted to show you what I learned today….”

Asami smiled indulgently and whispered, “Can it wait?” 

Akihito whispered back, “Yes”

Asami stood back up to full height. Akihito’s stomach clenched, even at only sixteen, he looked like a full grown man, his shoulders broad and muscled. He was by far the handsomest warrior in the room.

“I’ll meet you later and you can show me, ok?” He ruffled Akihito's hair affectionately, “Why don’t you wait for me in the garden, in our spot?” Akihito knew just where he meant and was already on his way out of the room when another deep voice stopped him.

“I’d like to see what the Owl has been teaching it.” The warriors parted and Akihito found himself looking at the king, reclining on his throne. He beckoned with his hand, “Come here boy”

Asami stood in front of him and blocked his view. “This is not necessary.”

“Nonsense, bring him to me, other than keeping him from destroying our kingdom, I want to see what Kirishma has been able to accomplish with that boy.” His voice had a no nonsense tone, an edge to it meant that he expected to be obeyed. Now. 

Asami and Akihito were both well familiar with that tone.

Akihito moved to stand in front of him, glancing up at Asami as he walked past, with fear in his blue eyes. He always found the king frightening. But especially so, sitting on that black throne, in front of the gigantic wall covered in wings. Severed from the backs of traitors and the conquered. It was even more grotesque and horrific than if he had simply strung their decapitated heads across the room. There was no greater punishment than cutting off a bird’s wings. It was considered a far worse punishment than death. Humiliating and disfiguring. 

Akihito looked down away from the king’s ‘trophies’, felt the king’s cold eyes on him. He felt Asami move up behind him and squeeze his shoulders comfortingly. He lifted his head and straightened his shoulders. He would not embarrass Asami by cowering, sniveling in front of the king the way he used to when he was a child. He would show them what he could do. 

“Move back,” he whispered over his shoulder to Asami.

The yellow eyes looked at Akihito questioningly, but he did as the smaller boy asked. Moving a few feet behind him.

Akihito flicked his eyes to one of the torches burning near the hall. He held out his hand and called the flame to him, ignoring the gasps that filled the room as it whizzed over their heads and landed in Akihito’s hand. The king leaned forward, his eyes focusing intensely and Akihito made it grow, covering his hand and working its way up his arm, the blue flames licking his skin. It tickled and he giggled a little. Making it wiggle like a snake across his back and down into the other hand. Then he made it blaze high, high enough to nearly touch the 20 foot ceiling, before balling it back into his hand and throwing it hard into the fireplace, the logs there igniting, bursting into a blazing fire that filled the room with a sudden burst of heat. Behind him, all but Asami backed away from the hot flames.

The king sat back in his throne, grinning like a cat. “Excellent”. Greed shining in his black eyes.

Akihito grinned back at Asami, but his smile faded when he noticed Asami’s dark expression. He wasn’t looking at Akihito though. He was looking at his father.

-


	13. Chapter 13

Akihito was running through the castle wildly, his kimono billowing out behind him. When he realized what he was doing, he tried to slow his steps and make them a little more stately. Even though his powers were no longer linked to his emotions; praise be to Kirishima. Although he still needed to learn to be more controlled. ‘Dignity and Decorum’ was what his mother and his teachers had been trying to drill into his head. And Aki had been trying to learn his lessons well. 

When Asami was king and Akihito was the royal Ocatrice, he didn’t want to embarrass Asami by acting like an untrained fledgling. 

Of course, Asami was having none of a dignified and reserved Akihito. The more he tried to become a proper courtier, the more adept Asami became at ruffling his feathers and pushing his buttons. And he was already really, really good at it. The worst problem though was the fact that Akihito had starting going into heat a few months after his fifteenth birthday, his underplumage blushing a bright coral pink every time he was the least bit turned on. Asami’s new favorite game was pulling him into dark rooms and seeing just how pink he could make Akihito’s feathers.

Akihito blushed when he remembered what Asami had done to him the other night, the strong hands gripping his thighs, holding them wide apart while the dark head moving between his legs. Akihito had been out of his mind by the time he finished. Where had he learned to do such a thing? It was HIS fault Akihito overslept and was now late to his music lesson. His teacher was really going to give it to him today he thought, remembering the feel of the ruler cracking across his knuckles. He picked up the pace.

He wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings, that was his first mistake. The second was passing much too close to a darkened doorway. Strong arms snatched the pretty blond as he hurried by. He barely got off an indignant squeak before he was pulled into the dark room and his lips were covered by Asami’s. He hoisted Akihito into the air, his toes dangling off the ground while Asami ground their groins together, his fingers digging into Akihito’s tight little bottom. 

Unconsciously, Akihito started to wrap his legs around the large man’s waist, but they got caught up in his kimono. When Asami was done kissing the breath out of him, he slid Akihito back down until his toes touched the floor, but didn’t let him go all the way back down. He kept him up on his tiptoes, kept him off balance and clinging to the older boy the way Asami liked.

Akihito scowled up at him, “Asami, I’m late!! I have to go now or I’ll get in trouble!!”

Asami’s eyebrows rose as he idly lifted Akihito’s left wing with his free hand, he only needed one hand to hold the slight form trapped in his arms. He was checking the color of the feathers on the underside. Bright neon pink lit up the room. The large Falcon grinned wide before turning back to matters at hand.

“How many times have I told you NOT to call me Asami. That's my father's name.”

Akihito protested, “Its not proper to address the future king by his first name, especially now that you’ve come of age"

Asami shook his head and walked them backward until Akihito was pinned against the wall, “The last thing I want you to be worrying about is being proper with me. All I want you to think about is making me happy.”

Akihito sighed and shook his head, squirming unsuccessfully to get free, “Ryu, I have to get to my music lesson….”

Asami rolled his eyes and exclaimed, “Another music lesson? Why on earth do they bother? You can’t improve on perfection.”

His lips moved to Akihito’s neck, his hands dropping lower to caress his tiny waist. He murmured in Akihito’s ear, “I’m the only one you should be singing for, let me hear that beautiful voice, my sweet little Songbird and maybe I’ll let you go. Cry my name like you did last night. Sing the way you sing for me and me alone, baby boy…”

He ripped open the front of Akihito’s kimono exposing his creamy skin to Asami’s hot golden gaze. He began to torment the exquisitely sensitive nipples with his tongue and teeth, sucking and drawing on them until….

“Ryu! Oh Ryu, please!!”

He smiled and drawled lazily as Akihito continued to become unglued….. “There it is….”

Akihito never made it to that voice lesson, but Asami made sure his vocal chords still got a good workout.

-


	14. Chapter 14

Akihito was nervous but really, really excited. It was almost time for him to go on stage. It was his first time performing in the big Spring festival. As a kid, he had looked forward to it all year. It was one of the few times he was allowed out of the palace and to interact with the other Oscines, bodyguards in tow, but still he was allowed outside and that was enough. 

Asami helped him skirt a lot of the other restrictions the king put on him, but in regards to Akihito being allowed out of the palace, unfortunately; Asami and the king were of one mind. 

And that mind was NO. 

But he was turning sixteen soon. Maybe things would change then. 

He longed to spend more time outside of the castle, with the other Oscines. Even though they were his own people, he still felt dazzled by them. There were a few in the palace, but they were overshadowed by the far great numbers of Falcons. At the festival, they were all together. The Oscines were the center of the show, their bright feathers every color of the rainbow. There were singers and acrobats, dazzling stunt fliers and dancers. There were clowns and actors. Akihito’s eyes never grew tired of watching them. He could understand why the king wanted to show them off, they really were something to see. As his power had spread far and wide, he had begun to use the Spring Festival as a vehicle to display his wealth and power to visiting dignitaries. The Oscines provided the color and entertainment.

This year’s Festival felt a little different, a little colder… the Oscines and Falcons weren’t as integrated as previous years. They were mostly clumping together in groups of their own kind and not really interacting. It was strange, but probably had something to do with the fact that the Festival was bigger and showier than ever. Direct orders from the king.

Akihito glowed with pride. The king himself had asked Akihito to be part of the main event. Wanted him to exhibit his powers to the entire kingdom. It had always been his mother or father on stage before. This was Akihito’s first time. He was old enough to understand the real reason behind it. The king wanted to show that the Falcons power wouldn’t end with the current Ocatrices. It was a power play, made to intimidate any slightly rebellious provinces into submission. Akihito wasn’t doing this for the king though. He was doing in for the raven haired warrior standing solemnly behind the throne, arms braced behind his back, his stance wide, his focus on the stage in front of him. 

Asami.

The singing and music died down, only a steadily increasing drumbeat remained. It was time. He stepped out from behind the curtain, moving smoothly to the center of the stage. Thanks to his training, no matter how nervous he felt, he was able to project a sense of peace and calmness. The drumbeats died down and the crowd was silent in the hot sun. Akihito raised his hands and brought forward clouds to shade the crowd, dropping the temperature and bringing a breeze scented with flowers from the east. The crowd sighed in relief, but this was nothing new. Akihito’s mother had done all this for them before. 

Not without a sense of showmanship, he opened a hole in the thick clouds overhead, so that the sun could shine on the stage. He closed his eyes and began to sing, concentrating on the dormant seeds, deep inside the Earth. Calling them forth. No one noticed the hundreds of tiny sprouts rising under their feet at first, but they grew and grew, blossoming into flowers and fruit trees, laden with fruit, bursting with scent. Trees of all kinds suddenly appeared, limbs growing tall and strong reaching for the sky as Akihito’s voice strengthened growing louder and louder. 

Wonder filled those who watched it happen, hands reaching out to tentatively touch the plants as they grew full sized. Many were certain it was an illusion until they tasted the fruit for themselves. They hardly noticed when the song changed, growing faster and wilder, Akihito was pulling water from the air, building a wall around him, separating him from the audience. He continued to sing as he walked forward into wall of water, keeping it a few millimeters off his skin. The audience gasped as it froze around him, encasing him in ice, silencing the song. But Akihito continued to sing inside it. He no longer needed help to bring forth the fire, the blue flames rising directly from his palms then spreading over his entire body. He exploded, shattering the ice, the intense heat sublimating it directly into vapor.

Some of the women screamed and one fainted, but Akihito wasn’t finished. Flames licked his entire body while his voice rose yet again, calling forth the wind. He moved his hands, making it spin, turning into a tiny tornado around him and he allowed it to pull the flames into it. It became a ring of fire, a tiny figure dark inside it. Akihito’s voice grew louder and louder coming from the solid wall of spinning fire, until suddenly he stopped abruptly. The wind and fire disappearing just as suddenly, leaving only a black scorched ring in the stage around Akihito’s feet. He bowed low to the king, keeping his eyes down in a show of humility as was expected. Unable to resist, he quickly flicked his eyes to Asami, flushing as he noted the expression of intense pride written all over his handsome face. He didn’t look at the rest of the crowd so he missed their expressions, which ran the gamut from horror to amazement. The most dangerous emotion though was the hope written on the faces of the Oscines....

-


	15. Oblivion

 

 

  
  
_Are you going to age with grace?_   
_Are you going to age without mistakes?_   
_Are you going to age with grace,_   
_Or only to wake and hide your face?_   
  
_When oblivion is calling out your name,_   
_You always take it further than I ever can._   
  
_When you play it hard, and I try to follow you there._   
_It's not about control but I turn back when I see where you go._   
  
_Are you going to age with grace?_   
_Are you going to leave a path to trace?_   
  
_But oblivion is calling out your name,_   
_You always take it further than I ever can._

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

Akihito woke with a start. It was his sixteenth birthday today and Asami had been hinting for weeks that he had something really special planned for the day. He had been gone for the last few days. But he would be back today Akihito was sure of it. He had winked before he left and said he was going to get a present for him. Aki sat up quickly, looking out the window at the yucky rain that was falling outside. He wrinkled his nose. Well, that just wouldn’t do. He grinned as the sky cleared and the sunlight sparkled through the window. He nodded and went to stand up, but then realized he was naked. He flipped up the covers, but his sleeping robe wasn’t under there. Hmm, he flopped over on his belly and looked under the bed. Not there either….

“Looking for something?”

He whipped his head up. Asami was standing in the doorway holding the missing robe. He was swinging it slightly, side to side.

“I see you still can’t stay dressed while you’re sleeping. You really are such a lewd little boy…”

He dropped the robe and stalked towards the bed and Akihito unconsciously pulled the covers up to his shoulders. Asami’s grin only widened and he jumped on the bed, straddling Akihito, who threw the covers over his head completely, fighting to keep ahold of them as Asami tried to pull them off him. A muffled voice came from underneath, “Nooo Asami we caaan’t! You promised me something special for my birthday!”

Asami stopped pulling on the covers. “What are you saying Aki? What I do to you isn’t special? My kisses aren’t special?” His deep voice sounding wounded.

Akihito ripped the covers off his head, looking up at Asami with wide worried eyes. Asami’s grin was triumphant and he captured Akihito’s face in his big hands wresting the covers from his body with ease. They fell on the floor in a heap, a very naked Akihito pinned underneath a fully clothed Asami. He pushed at him, but it was pointless. He might as well try to lift a brick wall by himself.

Asami’s smile was equal parts affection and lust as he looked down at the beautiful blond underneath him. Oh, how he did delight in taking care of Aki’s morning wood for him. He pinned those thin wrists and lovely hands down to the mattress.

“Do you remember what I used to say was going to happen on your sixteenth birthday?”

Akihito gave one last squirm before giving up completely, “No….”. He blushed and looked away from the piercing golden eyes. Lord that was a lie... he remembered very, very well. If Asami had said it once, he had said it a hundred times….

Asami leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Are you sure, beautiful one? I’m pretty sure I just told you just a few days ago. The last time I helped you take care of this. Remember?” He moved his hand to Akihito groin and squeezed.

Akihito moaned and shook his head, just to mess with Asami a little.

“No? Let me refresh your memory then.” He moved his hand which had been pumping Akihito’s smooth pink cock and licked his finger, wetting it thoroughly before rolling off to the side, spreading Akihito’s legs wide apart with one hand while moving the other in a distinctly southern direction. He slid his finger up the crease of the little bottom, stopping at the tight ring, pressing the tip of his large finger tight against it. Akihito drew his breath in sharply. Asami had been touching it a lot over the past few months, but he still hadn’t put anything inside. Akihito wanted it so bad, but he was scared too. Asami was huge, he had grown so thick Akihito could barely get it in his mouth anymore.

“I told you my gorgeous, talented mate that I would make you mine completely and totally. That we would exchange ‘rings’-” With the last word, he pushed his finger inside Akihito just a little bit. Akihito gasped at the intrusion. He slowly worked it deeper. “-when you turned sixteen.”

Akihito protested, “But I can’t be your mate….you have to marry a girl…I can’t give you babies…”

“You finally figured that out huh? I had you pretty convinced…” Asami grinned as he remembered how he tricked Akihito into swallowing his seed for the first time.

“You big jerk!” His struggles renewed and he bucked furiously, trying to throw off the heavy weight pinning him down so securely

Asami sighed and shook his head in mock disappointment, “You were so much more obedient when you were younger…”

Blue eyes glared up at him, his pretty cheeks flushed red, “I think the word you are looking for is GULLIBLE. And that was only six months ago, chowderhead.”

Asami tried to look as innocent as a six foot five, two hundred and fifty pound warrior can look. And he was still growing. “Only six months? It seems like yesterday.” He smiled fondly at the memory.

Akihito looked to the side, pouting a little, “You are always teasing me, I never know when you are serious.”

The older boy switched gears rapidly, setting all teasing aside, “Akihito, love, when it comes to my feelings for you, I am never joking. I love you, I have always loved you, from the first moment I saw you, from the day you were born, I have loved you.”

Akihito looked up at him uncertainly, “But Ocatrices mate for life….”

“And I will want you all my life, my feelings for you will never change, and I want you to be mine always. I will love, cherish and protect you, for the rest of your life. Will you be mine Akihito, forever? Will you love me and only me for all your days?” His love was written all over his face, the open honesty shattering Akihito’s last reservation.

“Yes” he sobbed and threw his arms around Asami’s neck, hot tears falling on his neck. Asami hugged him closely for a moment with his free hand before pulling back and using the same hand to pull a ring out his pocket.

“Good! That means I can finally give you this! Hold out your hand”

Akihito extended his hand palm down and Asami slid the beautiful ring on his finger. It was just the right fit and size too. Slender metal that looked like the branches of a tree with a small oval aquamarine jewel forged into it. It was delicate and light and just right for Akihito’s small hand.

Asami grinned, “Just as I thought, it suits you.”

He raised his slender hand and watched it sparkle in the sunlight, “Its so beautiful…So does this mean we are going to get married or something?”

Asami was indignant. “We just did! I spoke my vows and you spoke yours and we exchanged rings.”

Akihito looked again at the shimmering rock on his finger and up at Asami in confusion. “But… I didn’t give you a ring?”

“You’re about to.”

“What do you mean?”

Asami’s finger came back to life, he had almost forgotten it, where it had been this entire time. He had actually gotten used to the fullness in his backside, before Asami moved. Akihito cried out in shock, his arousal coming back full force.

“A ring for a ring….And oh Akihito there’s no other ring in the world that I want as much as this one. Right . Here….” He thrust inside, seating it fully, before pulling back and doing it again. He was rubbing against something that made Aki’s toes curl, sent shivers up his spine. Oh, this shouldn’t feel so good. He groaned and closed his eyes until Asami spoke again.

“I’ve been waiting sixteen years to get this ring on my- well, not my finger that’s for damn sure.” That infuriating, cockeyed grin was back and Akihito had to think hard to figure out what he meant by that last statement.

Akihito moaned and shook his head to clear the lust away, he was barely able to focus with what Asami was doing to him, “You…. haven’t been waiting sixteen years….. that would mean you were three when you started think about me that way… and I was just a baby!!!”

“Seriously Aki…you just noticed? Honestly, I’ve had impure intentions towards you from day one….” He lowered his head and Akihito was suddenly incapable of rational thought.

-

 

Hours later, he is sure he is going to die. Asami is going to kill him. He just can’t take it any longer. He’s going to die. Right now. And its all Asami’s fault.

His cruel lover has tied something around the base of his cock, it was tight and no matter how many times he feels like he is about to…he can’t, he just can’t cum and it huuuurts. He moaned and writhed, his movements getting more and more frantic as Asami gently sucked on the head of his cock. The bastard. Acting as if he had all the time in the world and Akihito wasn’t losing his goddamn mind underneath him.

He tongued the slit of his cock and then moved back to tickling the sensitive patch of flesh just under the glans. He has been working his fingers into Akihito this whole time, opening him, stretching him and rubbing him all the right spots. Asami backs off of tormenting the pretty pink penis and just leans over him, watches the expressions flicker over his beautiful face, fingering him slowly, playing gently with his sweet spot, brushing against it with each slow thrust of his finger. It feels so fucking amazing, his hips roll and push back and Asami is pretty sure he’s asking for more, so he slides a third finger alongside the other two. He grins when Akihito clenches down for a moment, but quickly relaxes, accepting the additional girth with a groan of pleasure.

“Ohh,” he moans, pushing back against Asami’s fingers.

“Feel good?” asks Asami softly, with a hint of concern in his deep voice. He always has to be so careful with Aki. His beautiful boy is always so prickly, protesting even when Asami knows damn well he likes it. So he has to be aware of the things his lover won’t tell him. He has to watch him, study his reactions to the things Asami does to him and always make sure he doesn’t push too far, too fast. Most of the time Akihito’s cries of ‘No, no’ really mean ‘More, more’ but every once in a while Aki’s ‘No’ really means ‘No’ and Asami has to be alert enough to catch it. God, if Akihito asks him to stop now…. Asami prays that he is strong enough to do it.

He asks the question and knows the answer already, but he wonders what Akihito’s response will be. Is he lost to the pleasure yet? Will he be honest about what he’s feeling? Stubborn Akihito who cries for Asami to stop while his body makes a fool of him, coming like a freight train in spite of himself, is SUCH fun. But Honest Akihito, when he’s too lost to the pleasure to worry about what Asami thinks of him, those moments when he asks honestly for what he wants are too precious for words. What will his darling say….? Asami doesn’t have to wait long…..

“Oh. Oh yes, please, feels so good Ryu” whispers Akihito, moaning.

The older boy's smile is luminous, but Akihito misses it, his eyes screwed shut as he writhes on those magic fingers.

He begins to spread his fingers apart, slowly, gently, stretching Akihito’s tiny hole further open than it has ever been before. He pushes his fingers apart, holding the stretch before releasing. Doing it again and again, until the hisses of pain turn into guttural groans of pure ecstasy. He’s almost ready, but not yet. Asami knows his member is huge, is determined not to tear Akihito’s flesh, damage him in such a delicate place. No, when he slides in, he wants Akihito crying out in pleasure. One more finger.

Four of his thick fingers were ALMOST the girth of his fat cock. He has to go slowly, stretch him carefully; Akihito is so very SMALL. He slides out carefully. Akihito whimpered a little, he wanted Asami back inside him. Akihito bit his lip and looked up at Asami with a raw naked look of pure need. Its all Asami can do not to fuck him then and there.

“Please, please, please,” he chanted mindlessly, hips rising looking for the hand Asami had taken away.

Asami’s grin is feral, victorious and Akihito’s blue eyes miss it again. He leans back down over Aki’s straining cock and closes his lips over it, sucking hard before releasing it. He’s rubbing more of the oil on his fingers and trailing it between pale round asscheeks, rubbing Akihito’s swollen balls and the sensitive skin underneath as he moves his hand up and down. Suddenly his lover's large fingers are back at the entrance to his bottom and he pushed them back inside. It felt even bigger than before. Akihto sobbed and dug his fingers into the bed, but suddenly Asami distracted him from the aching burn in his ass by pulling his cock deep into his mouth and humming.

Akihito’s eyes flew wide and his hips nearly shot off the bed. Fuck. As he came back down from the sensation he realized that Asami had his fingers seated fully now. They felt huge inside him, like they were spreading his very hip bones apart. It felt So. Fucking. Good. He wanted him to move.

The muscles in his belly were quivering and he squirmed, waiting for Asami to get on with it already.

“Please, oh please, fuck me now,” cries Akihito, his voice fading to a whisper as he realized what he just said. Opening his eyes, shimmering with tears.

“I’m sorry, I just… want you,” he apologized in a small voice. “Ryu…I want you so bad. Need to cum, so bad”

Asami’s yellow eyes go nearly black, filling even more with intense desire. The little innocent under him had absolutely no idea the power he had over him.

“Are you sure Akihito, are you sure you’re ready? Ready for my huge, hard cock in your tiny little backside? Oh its so, so big, baby. And you are so, so small. Is that what you are ready for? Is that what you want, precious?” he asks softly, slowly and carefully working his fingers in and out, thrusting back and forth just a little.

“Please, please, I want it so bad, please Ryu, please, oh please, take me NOW!”

Well fuck, just…fuck. Asami’s mind went blank from the shock of Akihito begging him. He rose up over the tiny blonde, fisting his cock, covering it generously with more lube, claiming the perfect pink lips that panted under him. He opened his mouth without a hint of resistance, accepting the tongue that swept inside. He kissed him and kissed him, his tongue wild, but the rest of his body was holding still, just pressing the head of his giant cock against Akihito’s tight pucker. The boy tensed at first, but slowly relaxed. Asami was in no hurry, he kissed Akihito leisurely, thoroughly before stopping. Akihito opened his eyes to look up at him.

“You are mine. Forever. Say it Aki.” Ryu's expression was solemn, his eyes burn with an intensity Akihito had never seen before. He gasped at the way Asami is looking at him, beads of sweat on that strong forehead.

He answered in a soft tremulous voice, but there was no hesitation in it, “Yours, Ryu, for always.”

The pressure on his ring increased and the giant cock began to enter him. Every time Akihito tensed in pain, Asami stopped pressing forward and pulled back a little, waiting until he relaxed and then he would push back inside, going just a little tiny but further. His eyes never left Akihito’s face. He went carefully, so carefully. Never pushing him beyond what he can bear. The warrior's muscles trembled with the effort of holding himself up and back for so long. He eased forward little by little into his lover’s tiny hole, coaxing Akihito to open for him, to relax.

He murmurs words of love and praise and adoration into the pink shell of his lovely ear.

Akihito tossed his head side to side in a moment of panic. It was becoming more than he can take.

“Ryu!” cried Akihito in alarm. His asshole was stinging and burning. It felt like it was on the verge of tearing, ripping open. He had never felt so fragile, so vulnerable as he did in that moment. But as soon as he cried out, Asami stopped completely.. but he didn’t pull out. He pressed kisses to Akihito’s closed eyelids, feathering more over his nose and cheeks and lips. He traced the tears leaking from Akihito’s crystal eyes with his thumbs, wiping them away. His strong hands stroked the blushing cheeks, soothing his fear away .

"Relax darling, breathe in and out. Just relax. You can do this baby."

Akihito drew a deep breath and did as he was bid, concentrating on relaxing every muscle in his body from his clenched fingers to his cramped toes. The muscles slowly unfurled and the searing, agonized tearing sensation faded from his backside. Oh, it still hurt. But it was the slow, aching throb with a hint of heat that Akihito was already familiar with. He sighed in relief and Asami felt his entire body relax underneath him.

“Good boy" Asami said a smile in his voice, his mouth close to the perfect pink ear, his breath stirring the boy’s soft, silver hair.

Akihito nodded, it still hurt a little but he was still as hard as he had ever been. His cock was dripping precum all over his stomach.

Asami bent down and kissed him hard, possessively. His tongue was driving Akihito wild again and while he was distracted by the heat of it, Asami pushed forward, rocking his hips forward and back, just a little, working himself just a hair deeper into Akihito’s tight body. His eyes tightly fixed on Akihito’s. He can see pain in those entrancing blue eyes, but there is pleasure there too. A moment later, Akihito squealed loudly and bucked his hips up in surprise. His eyes flew wide with something other than pain. Wonder written across his face.

Asami grinned wide as the head of his cock found the spot he was looking for. He thrust into it mercilessly now that he had finally found it, hitting it over and over, making his lover see stars. Akihito shrieked and writhed and begged for more. Asami captured his mouth and breathed in all those lovely sounds, wanting to keep them all to himself, forever. He pressed himself deeper and Akihito’s body opened like a flower, finally accepting him inside completely. He began to withdraw and thrust in, still moving carefully, but faster now. He reached between their sweat slicked bodies and took Aki’s poor swollen cock in his hand. His slide his hands up and down it, striking the tender flesh gently while Akihito became unglued. Screaming and crying incoherently, completely submitting to the pleasure Asami forced on him. Asami grunted in pleasure. He could tell Akihito is at his limit and quite frankly, so was he. He fumbled for a second, untying the ribbon from around the base of that lovely cock, releasing the pressure as he reams the boy harder and harder. Akihito's legs were back and open wide now, so lewd and wanton and it’s the sexiest thing he's ever fucking seen.

Akihito's lovely voice cried out desperately , singing the most beautiful song in the world, begging Asami to fuck him HARDER. And when he finally came, screaming Asami’s name, spewing all over his stomach, from nothing but the sensation of Asami’s giant cock slamming into his perfect little ass... well it was the best fucking moment of Asami’s whole goddamn life. His tight little ring fluttered and clenched around him and pulled him over the edge. He pushed into his boy’s ass as hard as he can, unaware that he was roaring Akihito’s name.

His arms broke and he barely caught himself before face planting on the bed, nearly crushing Akihito underneath. He held himself up on his elbows and carefully slid out of his darling’s poor, raw, gaping, well used hole. He rolled him over and parted his slender legs up to check the damage. There’s a hint of blood in Akihito's crease and a few drops on the sheets, but nothing serious. Asami exhaled in relief and looked back up at Akihito’s face uncertainly. The boy was motionless, completely still and unconscious. But he was breathing evenly and there was a dazed smile on his face. Asami grunted in satisfaction and finally allowed himself to relax, collapsing bonelessly onto the soft bed, pulling Akihito close to his side, wrapping his arms about the boy and resting his brow in the crook of his bride's lovely neck. He was snoring loudly within minutes.


	17. Chapter 17

Much, much…much later, Akihito was laying on top of Asami’s broad chest, admiring his ring, the way it caught the light. The other man hand traced lazy circles over his back and bottom, smiling occasionally when he felt goosebumps crop up. His eyes were closed and he had the most amazing, contented expression on his face. He looked very much the palace cat when it had finally caught the Queen’s pet canary….

He propped his chin up and looked at Asami curiously. Why did he have to leave to get this? There were lots of jewelsmiths right there in the kingdom, “So it this what you had to leave for several days to go get?”

“Nope!”

The other boy grinned wide before rolling out of bed and walking across the room to retrieve a small box on the desk. He was completely naked and completely unashamed of it. His muscles rolled sleek and tight, bulging in all the right places… Blue eyes moved lower. Yep, all the right places. Akihito blushed. He was so beautiful. He would never tell Asami that though, his head could barely fit in the room as it was.

He jumped back onto the bed, it dipped low under his substantial weight and Akihito went crashing into him. Asami threw his heavy arm over the slight body and held him snug against his side before he could slide away. He dropped the box in front of Akihito’s nose. They were both lying on their stomachs, Akihito propped himself up on his elbows and Asami watched him closely. The box was wrapped in plain brown paper and Akihito was pretty sure he had wrapped it himself. He opened it carefully. Inside was a small brown seed, he picked it up carefully, his eyes round, looking at it closely and then Asami.

“What is it?”

“You’ll have to make it grow and see.”

He was being very mysterious and the curiosity was killing Aki, “Can I go plant it right now?!” He put it back in the box and made sure the top was on securely.

“Sure”, the golden eyes smirked a little at him, but Aki was too excited to care.

He went to stand up, but nearly fell on his face on the stone floor, his legs still weak and trembling. Asami caught him with ease, scooping him up and carrying him to the bathing cistern, before the kitchen, where he made sure Akihito got a good meal in his stomach, before FINALLY letting him take the box to the garden.

Akihito wanted to race ahead, but his body wouldn’t let him. He moved slowly, like an old man. He ignored the glint in Asami’s eyes at his limping steps and took his arm, accepting his help grudgingly. They walked slowly through the garden until Akihito found the spot he was looking for. THEIR spot. The spot under the big tree, where it was cool and shady and where Asami had landed when he had caught Akihito in mid-fall, saved his life when he was nine. He knelt down and little uncomfortably and scooped up the dirt until he got a small hole, the soil was rich, dark and moist. It was perfect. Not that it really mattered. Akihito could make an oak tree grow out of solid stone. But still, he had a feeling this was something really special. He picked up the little paper box and picked up the seed, placing it at the bottom of the small hole he had dug and covering it back up.

He covered it with his hands and began to sing to it, softly. Asami’s hands were on his shoulders and he closed his eyes pulling in the warmth, the energy from the other man. Feeling the overpowering love radiating off of him, he sent it down to the tiny life beginning to take root, infusing it with energy pulled from the love the two of them shared. As long as their love lived, so would the little plant. It wouldn’t need water or soil or sun. It’s very life would be linked to Asami’s love for him. As long as that love existed, it would be indestructible.

He pulled his hands back, pleased with the spell he had cast.

It grew and took shape, dark leaves unfurling. Akihito had to move back, edging away on his knees until he hit Asami’s feet, it was growing larger quickly, up and out. When the first red blossom popped up, he immediately recognized what it was. He had seen it in books, pointed it out once to Asami. It was a rosebush. With the most perfect, beautiful flowers he had ever seen. He reached out a hand in wonder. The petals were so soft, like velvet. He could smell the sweet scent heavy in the air.

Asami crouched down behind him, “They grow in the East, a trader told me about them and I knew then I had to bring you one….do you like it?”

Akihito clasped his hands together, aquamarine eyes shimmering. “Oh Asami, I LOVE it.” He looked back at Asami and their lips met, in a tender, gentle kiss that neither ever wanted to end, Asami lifting him into his strong arms and holding him tight. He was never going to let him go. Never. They would be together always.

The rosebush burst forth in blossoms, so many you could hardly see any of the green leaves below, the roses thick and heavy, some of the branches bending under the weight. The petals were blood red...


	18. Chapter 18

Asami’s voice was thick with emotion, “She’s asking for you Akihito.” 

Surprised eyes turned to the small boy sitting quietly in the corner of the room. No one had expected the Queen to call for Akihito. He got up and crossed the room, eyes look questioningly as he passed Asami, but Asami didn’t come with him.

He shook his head, golden eyes heavy with grief, “She asked for you to come alone.”

Akihito moved slowly into the dark room, his eyes adjusting quickly. She had labored for so very long. He could smell the blood in the air, the metallic scent heavy in his nose. He thought perhaps…. perhaps… he could fix this. The body was the earth, the blood simply water, the air in her lungs was the wind and the spark of life remaining was fire. He held sway over all of those. Maybe he could change this outcome, but as his consciousness moved in her, the awareness of the damage to her body grew and he also realized that the fifth element, the void, was unaccounted for. Her soul was already rising. It was her time, there was simply nothing to be done.

She reached out her hand to him. Her skin was so pale, but she was still so beautiful. He sat down beside her and took her hand in his. She smiled peacefully. He could tell she was already past the point of pain.

Her voice was but a whisper, “Will you make it rain? One last time…for me?”

A slow gentle, pitter-pattering began, tinkling against the glass windows, the air becoming moist and cool in the bedchamber. She sighed, her face breaking into a radiant smile, “I always preferred the rain to the sunshine. The droughts when I was child were so long. My mouth so very dry, I would beg, beg for a glass of water. But there was none to be had. The fear in my parent’s eyes as their crops died and the fields burned. I never forgot. The happiest day of my life was the day your parents came to us. I’ll never forget that miracle, the wonder of watching her open her hands and call the rain down to us. I never forgot….” 

She coughed, her voice growing thin. Akihito squeezed her hand, flowing energy into it. He could sense she had something she wanted to say before she left, “The second best day of my life, was the day you were born. Knowing that my son would never have to suffer as I had suffered, oh, but I was so glad. So glad.” 

For a moment Akihito thought she was finished but then her eyes opened again and the intensity in them was startling, “Akihito, he loves you. He simply tolerates the rest of us, but you? His heart beats for you.” 

Akihito shook his head denying it, opening his mouth to protest, but she continued, smiling gently and nodding, “Its true Aki, in your heart, you know its true. Asami’s strong heart has always been in your hands, I never understood it, never. But I am grateful for it. The king never loved me, never... I was simply the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom. The best and he always had to have the best. But he never loved me. Not for one day. I thought if only I could make him love me, that perhaps it would be enough for him. And perhaps this endless war would stop. But I couldn’t, couldn’t make him love me.”

Tears flowed from both of their eyes. Akihito knew these words were true, had watched the sting and the pain she had suffered because of that truth over the years. Suddenly, she grabbed ahold of Akihito, pulling him close, “Akihito promise me, promise me, you won’t leave him. You must protect that great heart, keep that love safe. Without it, without it, the monster he would become…… he has his father’s darkness in him. But I know that you, his love for you, will keep him in the light. I know this Akihito. Protect his light Akihito, please promise me. Promise me….”

He whispered softly to her, not sure if she ever heard his affirmation because at that moment he felt it rise, leaving the room. The Sky drifted away from the Earth left behind. And he knew she was gone. Leaving her husband’s wrath far behind. And her tiny blond haired baby. Her son.... but not the Kings.

-

Akihito had been afraid the king would kill it. The long awaited second son, that was so obviously not his. The blue eyes and blonde hair like a slap in his face. But to everyone’s surprise, he didn’t. He let the midwives take it away with them. And he went to the throne room to wait. The Queen's bodyguard was brought to him, struggling and forced to his knees. His blond hair and blue eyes was very unusual in someone of Falcon descent. It was obvious to everyone, who the father of the Queen's baby. It was written on the baby's face for the world to see.

The next day another pair of wings was added to the wall, unique in their blond hues, with streaks of white running to the tips. The bodyguard was never seen again. But the king allowed his son to live, allowed him to stay in the castle, the nursemaid under strict orders to keep him out of sight and out of mind. Loose tongues were harshly silenced. Akihito wondered at the actions, but said nothing. In his heart, he knew that what the queen had said about the king’s feelings for her….. wasn’t the whole story.

.


	19. These Streets

 

 

_Oh, we have paved these streets_   
_With moments of defeat_   
  
_But even if we won't admit it to ourselves_   
_We'll walk upon these streets and think of little else_   
_So I won't show my face here anymore_   
_I won't show my face here anymore_   
  
_These streets are yours, you can keep them_   
_In my mind it's like you haunt them_   
_And passing through I think I see you_   
_In the shapes of other women_   
  
_Oh, we have stained these walls_   
_With our mistakes and flaws_   
  
_But even if we won't admit it to ourselves_   
_We'll walk upon these streets and think of little else_

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

The Falcons were winning, their influence spread over the land. Their resources were simply unmatched. In this dry and arid country, no one else could support an army of such size. Thanks to the Ocatrices, they had an endless supply of fertile land, their crops grew strong and the rain fell predictably. The Falcons sons grew tall and strong as well, and the King’s army was growing constantly. Their only religion was war and everything about their culture went to support the war machine. It was their identity, their purpose, their existence. It had been this way for generations and they knew no other way of life.

Forward, it marched across the land and kingdom after kingdom fell down before them. 

Until one, did not. 

The Owls had seen what was coming and while they submitted to the Falcons willingly to avoid slaughter, it wasn’t before negotiating an alliance between the remaining free Raptors - the Eagles, the Kites, some of the more intelligent Vultures and the few remaining Hawks that had escaped when their kingdom fell. At least, it was suspected that the Owls had arranged the alliance, it was never proven. Regardless, the Falcons now had a fight on their hands that they couldn’t win. 

After several great losses, the king himself went himself to the front lines, taking Akihito’s father with him, planning to rain fire down upon his enemies. Asami was now a commander in the Falcon Army and had gone to the front many months ago, as well as most of the palace guards. His absence was a constant aching hole in Akihito’s heart. Fear for his safety was a constant cold burn in his stomach. The palace was strangely empty and Akihito grew terribly lonely with only his mother and Kirishima and the few remaining servants to keep him company. The hours of the day stretched endlessly, filled with equal parts fear and boredom.

Word from the war came infrequently. It was too dangerous for the messengers to make the journey often and many were killed before arriving at their destination. The Hawks had turned brutal, vicious in their desire for revenge and even the harmless messenger pigeons that would have previously been simply captured, were shredded mid-flight when spotted.

Akihito honed his skills. The one that frightened him the most in the beginning, he found was the one he depended on the most. The power of the Sky, the Void. He had slowly harnessed, found that if he stood before a door, any door and imagined what he wanted to see on the other side, when he opened the door…. It would be there. If he wanted to go down to the garden, all he had to do was close his eyes in front of his bedroom door and when he opened it, he could step out into the garden. His bedroom door became his portal to the kingdom. 

And while he missed Asami constantly, every day, every hour, every minute, he enjoyed a freedom he had never known before. He never told anybody where he went and had been really hesitant about going into the village, but quickly realized it wasn’t the dangerous place Asami had convinced him it was, kidnappers lurking around every corner. Finally, he had made friends with his people. Finally he felt like he belonged somewhere. The only other place he had ever felt he really belonged was inside Asami’s arms. And Asami was still his best friend. 

But even still, they had NEVER been ‘just’ friends.

Not like he was with Kou and Takato, two Oscines he had met in the public park one day. He had tripped and nearly fallen in the spring fed well. Kou and Takato had grabbed him before he could fall in. They had realized who he was immediately of course, but they didn’t treat him any differently because of it. With them, he just felt like one of the guys. Not the great ‘Power’ of the king or the future king’s Ocatrice. They didn’t avert their eyes when he spoke to them or try to bow low. They just talked to him. They weren’t afraid to touch him either. 

Takato had a habit of punching him in the arm when he told a joke and wanted Akihito to get the punchline and sometimes it hurt pretty bad actually, but Akihito didn’t care. Kou occasionally gave him noogies. They had a blast together, as if they had been friends their whole life, he met them at the local pub (frequented by pretty much only Oscines almost every night) and slowly they had introduced him to the others. There was Kirumi, the sweet, good natured tavern girl and Someya, the chubby barmaid and Yamazaki, the gruff old bluebird who seemed like a grump, but would sing the funniest, dirtiest songs Akihito had ever heard, once you got him liquored up. The bar would be in stitches every time he got up to sing, some of the Oscines ending up on the floor holding their sides as they howled in laughter. They were merry and funny and kind and beautiful and Akihito loved them all. They accepted him without question as if he had always been one of them and was just now coming home.

Currently, Kou was trying to teach Akihito one of their dances. The Oscine village dances were very different from the performance pieces Akihito was well acquainted with from the Spring Festivals. They were partner dances and Akihito was making an abysmal partner. Kou grabbed Kirumi and they executed the steps perfectly. Kou pushed Kirumi into Akihito’s arms. “Now you try!”

Akihito blushed a little and looked down at the truly tiny bird in his arms. Akihito was pretty darn small, even among the Oscines, but she was absolutely tiny. She was really pretty too, she was a Lovebird so her feathers were bright green with stripes of blue and yellow and red running in streaks. Her eyes matched her wings, they were a brilliant emerald green. She really was very striking. Akihito felt a little shy, other than his mother and the queen, he really didn’t have any experience with girls at all. But it was impossible to stay shy for long around Kirumi, she simply wouldn’t allow it. She had him dancing in no time, laughing when he stepped on her feet, luckily they had discarded their shoes long ago. The little pub was alive with singing and laughing and dancing until the wee hours of the night. Akihito wasn’t worried he would be missed, but the others had to work the next day and things were starting to wind down. The Oscines wandered off into the night in twos and threes. They never left alone, Akihito had noticed, but he didn’t think much of it.

Kou was on his right and Takato was on his left, they were waiting to let him go through the door first, both familiar with his little disappearing act. Suddenly he stopped. His heart. It was beating wildly, then suddenly it felt like it was being ripped right through his sternum. He screamed in agony and fell to his knees, unconsciously pushing the door open as he fell, grabbing his chest.

Through it, the rest of Oscines could see what Akihito was seeing.

The war was raging on into the night, the fires was the only light. A burning wall raged in front of them. The Falcons were falling back. The Eagles, fewer in number, but much larger birds, were viciously beating them back. Vaguely he heard Kirumi scream in the background as one of the Falcon warriors was caught, his head gripped in large sharp talons and ripped from his body.

What was this? He had never brought a place behind the door that he hadn’t seen before. It was like the dreams he had sometimes, so real, he felt like was there… but he knew that wasn’t what this was…this was really happening. Right now, at the battle front far away.

The occupants of the pub watched in horror as the battle unfolded before them. The Falcons were taking a great losses, falling further and further back, their forces dispersed, unorganized. Akihito’s eyes widened as he suddenly recognized his father among the figures on the battlefield, he was on his knees in front of the king, protecting him with a wall of fire. 

Akihito had only ever known the gentle quiet man of his childhood, always present but so unassuming you often forget he was there. That was not the man he saw before him. His face was harsh, all angles, his teeth bared from the force and strain of holding his powers for so long. His hand directing the wall of fire, entire body consumed in blue flame, his white hair flying, his blue eyes electric. Akihito saw it coming, but he was helpless do anything. Like all birds, the Eagle warriors were afraid of fire. But they had seen Akihito’s father in action. Knew the damage his magic had done to their ranks and they were close, closer than they had ever been before and might not get another chance to take out the incredible weapon of the Falcons. 

The king realized his error too late, had assumed they wouldn’t fly into the fire. But they did, one after another. Most burned to ash before coming through the other side, but one was smarter than the rest and he grabbed another in front of him before flying into the flames. The first was burned to a crisp, but the second made it through, his feathers burning, but it didn’t stop him. He fell on the small white haired man below, undeterred by the blue flames that consumed them both. The tiny Ocatrice was helpless against the strength and size of the Eagle. 

Cruel teeth ripped his face from his skull while sharp talons pierced his chest, tearing the still beating heart from inside him before going up in flames completely, collapsing on top of the shredded remains of what had once been Akihito’s beloved father. Both bodies burning furiously out of control. The king was down as well. Asami was already taking control of the chaos, shouting orders from the sky. His sword flashing in the firelight, reflecting off the bonfire of the bodies burning below him. Akihito screamed, in terror, horror and pain, moving to throw himself through the door, not sure what to do, but with blue flames already sprouting from his fingertips. Takato and Kou were faster. One slammed the door closed, while the other threw Akihito back on the ground.

Kou held his wrists up, above his head, careful to keep his fingers away from the flames. Akihito’s blue eyes were blind with rage. The vision of his father’s face being mutilated in his head. 

Kou had to repeat himself over and over before he saw a glimmer of comprehension in the his friend’s eyes, “Its not our fight! Its not our fight!! Don’t you understand Akihito? Its not our fight.”

The rage began to turn to sorrow and despair. His father was never coming home. Oh God. What was he going to tell his mother? How would she survive this? Could she?

He moaned, banging his head back against the stone floor of the pub and Kou released his wrists, he brought them up to cover his face. The rest of the Oscines were silent, horrified by what they had seen, destroyed by the loss of one of their own. Even though they themselves had chosen to hand the Ocatrices over to the Falcons, their sacrifice covering the purchase price of the Oscine's safety and their new home, but they had never stopped loving them. Missing them. Had known what they were doing and yet never thought it would bring about their death. Akihito’s father was more their king than the Falcon King ever would be. The women moaned and some began to weep. The gruff old bluebird didn’t bother to hide the tears streaming down his cheeks. He had known Akihito’s father well, back in the old days. They all sat there for a long time, contemplating what all they had seen. Whether the king himself was even among the living anymore. His wounds had appeared serious. And if the Falcon army had lost? How many Falcons had died? The fate of the young Asami?

Kou and Takato helped Akihito to his feet, half supporting him. The rest of the people crowded close to him, touching him softly, offering what little comfort they could until he stood tall again and raised his head. His voice broke the first time he tried to speak, but he spoke softly and calmly the second time, “I have to go back, I have to tell my mother.”

Kou looked at him with concern, “Are you going to be ok?”

Akihito looked him in the eye and Kou knew the answer, but what Akihito said was, “I have to be. For her.”

Kou and Takato helped him through the door, making sure he got back to his room safely before he opened the door to the pub again for them. Kou was the last to walk through it, he looked back with his hand raised at Akihito. Akihito nodded and the other boy disappeared.

In his grief, he didn’t even realize the significance of the fact that not only had he brought others through the door with him for the first time, but had also been able to send them back without him.

Eventually a messenger came through, bearing news of Akihito’s father’s death and many others. Akihito cherished the special note Asami had written for him. He felt certain that he would have known if something had happened to Asami, but the solid proof provided relief from the itching fear and anxiety that had pervaded Akihito’s every waking moment. There was no mention made of the king’s fate and so Akihito assumed that he had simply been injured. The General had also been killed in that battle, Asami had assumed control of the army and had turned the battle around into an impossible victory. It was little comfort to the mourners at home. Especially the two broken hearted Ocatrices alone in the empty castle. It rained for days and days and days, his mother’s eyes already raw from weeping for her lost mate, shedding endless tears.

-


	21. Beating Heart

 

 

_Walking out into the dark_   
_Cutting out a different path_   
_Lead by your beating heart_   
  
_All the people of the town_   
_Cast their eyes right to the ground_   
_In matters of the heart_   
  
_Summer evening breezes blew_   
_Drawing voices deep from you_   
_Lead by your beating heart_   
  
_What a year and what a night_   
_What terrifying final sights_   
_Put out your beating heart_

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

As General, Asami was a brilliant strategist, he brought an end to the war quickly and decisively, even without Akihito’s father. His ideas were brilliant, innovative and the enemy never saw them coming. They ended up surrendering, acknowledging their slaughter as imminent. The war abroad may have ended, but the one at home was only just beginning. They had won, but for what end and at what cost? The soldiers returned home to a citizenry that was exhausted from supporting the war effort, not to the glory and adulation they had expected. The citizens wanted to get back to normalcy as soon as possible, but the soldiers were unable to leave the war behind. 

Asami had yet to come home, he was unable to leave the chaotic land as it was. He ended up being just as skilled at peace as he was at war and so he stayed long after the war was over, busy securing and stabilizing the Falcons new province. He had no idea that the war wasn’t over, the battle that was beginning at home had the highest stakes of any he had fought yet.

The rift that had been forming for years between the Oscines and the Falcons blew wide open. The warriors came home expecting open arms and adoration. But the Oscines and the rest of the serving classes had gotten used to running their own lives. The Falcons displaced them with ease, taking over the running of their homes and businesses again, fully expecting those underneath them to fall right back into their old way of life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough anymore.

They no longer wished to simply serve in Falcon homes, but instead wished to set up their own households and businesses. They demanded the right to own property, to marry whom they chose.

The practice of breeding the Oscines to create new and interesting mixes was no longer considered acceptable. Living to serve the whims of their masters was a life they could no longer stomach. The Oscines were angry and full of resentment. Over the years they had submitted over and over again, to ever increasing indignities, until they were little more than entertainment, ‘pets’ of the Falcons, no more than animals. 

In the beginning, they had simply been grateful for the protection the Falcons gave them, grateful to live for the first time without fear. But the Falcons seemed to have forgotten that the Oscines had given them something in return. The Ocatrices. The great magic of the Oscines, the ability to control the weather, nature herself. And the Oscines were only just starting to realize that what they had given the Falcons was greater than the gift they had received in return. They had traded their freedom for safety. Their magic for chains. And it wasn’t enough, not anymore. The loss of Akihito’s father burned in their hearts, the king’s careless misuse of that precious gift.

The Falcons saw them as greedy, ungrateful. They had welcomed them into their homes and their lives, cared for them, provided for them. Asked nothing from the Oscines except that they serve the Falcons as the Falcons saw fitting. They lived and thrived in what was now the greatest Empire in all the world. How dare they ask for more? They had forgotten the fear they themselves had lived in before the Oscines came. The hunger and the panic of the droughts, the crops that withered and died long before the rains came. The hunger in their stomachs and the hollow in their children's eyes. Many of the younger generation simply had no concept of life before the Oscines had brought their magic Ocatrices. Had never known the rains not to fall gently and regularly. Had forgotten the hard scrabble of their lives and the silence and the dullness before the Oscines had come with their music and their joy and their laughter.

Each side was unable to see the other’s point of view. Unable to reach a compromise, unable to return to the way they had been before. They had forgotten what the other had given them, forgotten that they were better for the other, stronger together than apart. Tensions between the Oscines and the Falcons spread amongst all the different types of serving birds, the anger and resentment trickling down to even the lowest of them. Almost overnight, insubordination and disobedience became commonplace. The Falcons tempers began to boil. And from the very beginning, Akihito found himself right in the middle of it..

-


	23. Chapter 23

Akihito had been spending more and more time outside of the castle. The constant silence and emptiness driving him mad. He had stayed at his mother’s side for weeks but the truth was, she didn’t seem to notice if he was there or not. The palace guards were going nuts trying to keep him inside the castle, couldn’t figure out he kept getting out. As soon as they put him back in his room, he was spotted somewhere in the village. It was like trying to nail Jello to the wall and no one knew how he was doing it. Akihito couldn’t help but laugh. Sure he felt a little guilty, but eventually they would give up and realize he was not an object to be placed high on a glass shelf, to stay where he was put. 

Today he was coming back from the fields where he had been working alongside the Kou and Takato and many of the other Oscines. He had never realized how much work the fruits he had enjoyed so much were to harvest and collect. Each one had to be picked individually. It was exhausting, back breaking work. Kou and Takato looked tired too. The three boys smiled and straightened their tired backs when Kirumi came running up to greet them, carrying three ice cold beers. Takato and Kou jostled each other a little to be the first to thank her, taking their drinks with a blush. Akihito stared at them, only just now realizing their true feelings for the pretty little girl they referred to teasingly as ‘Stump’.

Kou threw his arm around her, “Stump, you are a lifesaver!” He downed the cold drink with flourish and Kirumi pushed his hand off.

“Don’t call her that!” Takato frowned at Kou, savoring his own drink slowly.

Kirumi smiled widely, “It’s ok, that’s what everybody calls me!” She smiled wide, her eyes turning into little half crescents. She was soo cute, even Akihito couldn’t help but smile back. She was really short.

Takato continued to frown, “Kirumi, I appreciate the drinks, but you really shouldn’t be running around alone.” The soldiers on street patrol were young and heavy handed, many of them were simply bullies. They had been harassing the Oscines more and more lately.

“Well, I’m not alone anymore, I have you guys!”

“Ok, well just be careful, walk with someone ok? I’ll take you back to the pub.” Takato proffered his arm but Kou was quicker, sliding in between and snagging Kirumi’s arm with his own. Takato frowned even more and opened his mouth wide to protest but Akihito intervened, stopping the burgeoning argument.

“I’ll take her home, both of you are exhausted and have a long way to go, its getting dark soon. I don’t mind, you know how easy it is for me to get home.” The other boys grudgingly yielded.

“Well, I suppose she’s safer with you than either of us.” Akihito felt his chest swell a little at Kou’s kind words. He thought Kou was referring to his powers, but he was actually referring to something else. Takato nodded in agreement.

“Thanks again for the drinks again Stump, you made our day” Kou said to Kirumi, Takato nodded his thanks too, handing back the still cold glass. Kirumi beamed and they parted ways, Kou and Takato on their way to the other end of the city and Akihito and Kirumi headed towards the castle, the pub was somewhere in the middle. The sun had begun to set and it was starting to get dark in the Falcon city, the streets torches were few and far between and lit only as fast and the lamplighter could manage.

They were hurrying, but also talking loudly and Kirumi said something that made him laugh so hard, he didn’t notice the three dark shadows standing in their way until they bumped into them. 

The soldiers were young, probably not much older that Akihito himself, but they were Falcons and therefore much, much larger. Kirumi and Akihito careened off the large forms and landed hard on their bottoms in the dirty street. They lost hold of the glasses they had been carrying and they shattered in the street, shards going everywhere. Akihito looked up at them with anger in his eyes. He recognized one, but not the other two.

“What have we here?” The largest one bent down and inspected the lovely little Oscines with cruel, predatory eyes. Kirumi looked frightened and that really pissed Akihito off. Plus his butt really hurt, he really landed hard.

“What the hell man?” he fumed, pushing himself up and moving to stand between Kirumi and the soldiers.

“Oh feisty, I like that. You are a pretty thing, what your name prettybird?” The large hand moved to tug on his soft blond locks. Akihito jerked his head away and slapped the hand away midair. The soldier’s other hand came up, gripping his wrist hard.

“Take your filthy hands off me” Akihito said in condescending tone, looking coldly down his nose at the big bully trying to intimidate him.

The hot tempered soldier’s eyes flashed his rage, his nostrils flared at the weak little bird looking at him so fearlessly, shaming him in front of his peers. The one who knew who Akihito was protested loudly, moving in to stop his friend, but he was too late. The soldier hit Akihito hard, slapping him viciously. Aki fell hard, landing on top of Kirumi with his wrist twisted back behind him, still in the soldier’s bruising grip. 

Kirumi screamed in fear, it echoed in the silent streets and Akihito’s temper flared. Blue flames flared from the palm of his trapped hand. The soldier dropped it suddenly, as he was burned, the skin smelling scorched. He screamed as well, grabbing his injured hand and moved to kick Akihito. Akihito curled around Kirumi, covering her small fragile body with his own slight form, more concerned about protecting her than defending himself. He tensed, waiting for the vicious kick to land…. but it didn’t.

“What is the meaning of this?” A furious deep voice sounded, booming high over his head. He looked up. A gigantic Falcon warrior was standing in front of them, blocking his view of the soldiers. His wings were ebony black. His hair the same, falling just past his shoulders and inky black, tied back with a leather cord. Scars crisscrossed his massively muscled arms. He was the biggest warrior Akihito had ever seen, his mouth dropped open just a little. 

He must have been nearly seven feet tall, standing much taller than the other soldiers, which had seemed so large to Akihito a moment ago. He made them look like children standing in front of an angry father.

Akihito and Kirumi looked like little dolls dropped on the ground behind him. From what Akihito could see, he was wearing the black uniform of the Falcon Army. The soldiers dropped to their knees in front of him.

“General, we were simply disciplining these two disrespectful Oscines.”

“Since when have the Falcons disciplined the Oscines with physical punishment? And what could these two small ones have done to deserve such a reprimand?”

“They were out after curfew, disobeying the king’s command.”

“Curfew… what curfew? And even if this is so, you do not HIT them, you may escort them to their quarters, but do not ever, EVER touch them in anger. Is this clear?”

The warrior was shouting now, his voice full of rage and avenging fury. “Next time I will have your hands cut off in return. Only a coward would hit a defenseless Oscine less than half his size. I will turn you into men. Report to the palace guard for training in the morning, you are dismissed from your duties.”

He watched the young soldiers slink off into the dark, the tension slowly easing from his enormous shoulders before turning to the small figures on the ground behind him.

“Are you alright?.....AKIHITO?!”

Akihito’s eyes widened in recognition at the same time the golden ones flared. The giant strode forward, it only took him one long step to reach them and he scooped Akihito up in his arms, examining his face and his wrist, purple swelling evident on both. Akihito just stared at the man in shock. He had hardly recognized Asami…. he was so different.

He swore vehemently, raging, “I SHOULD HAVE FUCKING KILLED HIM…” 

He stroked the pale, damaged cheek with his thumbs and Akihito’s eyes filled with tears. He threw himself into the strong arms, wailing, “Ryuuu”, hugging the thick neck. Unable to stem the flow of happy tears falling from his eyes, his throbbing wrist hardly registering. Asami held him close, eyes closed in pure joy, stroking the soft silver hair, loving the happy snuffling sounds Aki was making buried somewhere in his neck. This was what he had been fighting so hard to return to. After a long moment of just holding each other, Asami pulled back slightly to look at Akihito’s gorgeous blue eyes. “What are you doing out of the castle, baby boy, and so late?” 

His eyes flicked to Kirumi who had finally found her way to her feet and was standing behind Aki, awkwardly biting her full lower lip. His eyes narrowed a little. “And who is this?”

Akihito looked back at poor Kirumi, he had completely forgotten she was there. He scrambled down and Asami let him go, back down to his feet, but he kept ahold of his uninjured hand and let Akihito pull him forward. “Ryu…I mean Asami, this is Kirumi, she’s a friend of mine”

Kirumi bowed low to the giant of a man that had suddenly appeared, green eyes wide. He was the biggest Falcon she had ever seen, his face ferocious and those yellow eyes were fixed on Akihito like he was something delicious to eat. He carried not one, but two enormous swords at his hips. He was making her very, very nervous. She took a tentative step backwards.

Akihito waved his hand free of the Titan’s grip, reaching out to hug her shoulder, “Kirumi, its ok, don’t be afraid, this is Asami, we grew up together.” 

Akihito missed the sudden flash of jealous anger that passed over Asami’s face, but Kirumi didn’t. She swallowed nervously. “Thank you for saving us… I really must be going now.” She edged away from the glowing yellow eyes.

“Oh, yes of course, Asami, its just right there, I’ll be right back.” He took her hand and walked her to the pub door, which had only been just a few meters away this entire time. He gave her a hug which Kirumi quickly broke, noticing the storm clouds gathering on the warrior’s face behind Akihito. She hurried inside.

Akihito turned to look back at Asami, but he was already high in the air, lifted in those strong arms. It was amazing, Asami could launch himself into the air like a rocket and Akihito still could barely get liftoff even when he cheated and used Wind magic. He gasped and held on tightly, unconsciously burying his face in Asami’s neck. It was so embarrassing, ridiculous, a bird who was afraid of heights…. He hoped Asami never noticed. Unfortunately, those perceptive eyes had already noticed his fear, Asami just thought it was for an entirely different reason.

They landed on the balcony, Asami pushed the doors open, snapping the lock like it was nothing. It was dark, looked as though it hadn’t been used in a long time. Asami’s eyes widened, his nostrils flared as the candles suddenly lit themselves, the fire in the fireplace roaring to life all on its own. He momentarily entered soldier mode for a split second, preparing to defend, before remembering just exactly what he was carrying in his arms. His stance immediately relaxed, his painful grip on Akihito loosening. 

He placed Akihito down in the chair before the fire, delicately like he was made of glass, reluctantly, like he didn’t want to let the boy go, now that he was finally in his arms again. He walked into his closet and brought out two slats of wood and a long strip of fabric. He knelt down before Aki and took the tiny wrist in both hands, probing the delicate bones gently, moving it up and down and side to side until he was satisfied that nothing was torn or broken.

Akihito trembled just a little under Asami’s ministrations. Trying very hard not to wince or make a noise when it hurt. He held it straight and splinted it carefully, wrapping the bandages tight. Aki kept peeking glances up through his eyelashes, drinking in sight of the handsome face he had missed so much. The man he had dreamed of every night alone in his little bed. He was the same Asami, but yet he was so, so very different. His face more angular, his jaw had broadened, along with the rest of his body. He looked so much harder.

His deep voice was loud in the silence, “Who is she to you?” His eyes were still lowered to Akihito’s wrist as he finished the last knot.

“Who?” Akihito had to think, startled, his mind still racing from the shock of Asami’s completely unexpected return.

“The green eyed girl you were out with tonight, who is she to you?”

The yellow eyes burned with jealousy and hurt when they meet Akihito’s and he realized suddenly what Asami was asking him.

“Kirumi is just a friend, nothing else, Asami I would never cheat on you, you know that. You KNOW that.” He lifted his other hand to Asami’s rough cheek. It was apparent that he hadn’t shaved in a while and Akihito was embarrassed by how much the scratchy beard was turning him on.

Asami smiled, the hurt fading from his eyes and the way he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling, it was so familiar that Akihito felt his heart skip a beat.

“I know love, its just I was gone…for so very long. And I know how hard it must have been on you…”

“One year, one month and twenty-two days…almost twenty-three…”

“Kept track did you?” Asami cut in, that cocky grin was back and Akihito felt warmth pooling in his stomach.

Akihito lifted his chin at the interruption, “What I was trying to say is that no matter how long you were gone, you are still my mate. And there will never be anyone for me but you.”

Asami waved his hand behind him gesturing at the room, “Then why didn’t you sleep in our bed while I was gone? And why were you so frightened when I picked you up?”

“Well it had just been a long time since I flew with you and you always fly so fast, as for the bed.. well…. I tried to sleep here…. but I couldn’t. It just reminded me of you and US and the sheets smelled like you….” He blushed and stopped. Asami read between the lines as he was so good at doing with his boy.

“And you got so horny you couldn’t sleep, didn’t you?” Akihito flushed scarlet to the tips of his ears and Asami’s big laugh boomed off the walls of the room. He threw his head back and laughed as he hadn’t laughed in ages, throwing his arms around the one he loved more than life itself. Akihito was still bright red with embarrassment, squirming in Asami’s grip as he moved him from the chair to the bed. Asami took mercy on him, pinning him down and taking him in hand with ease. Asami buried his face in the pale silky strands. He breathed in the smell of HOME and whispered in his lover’s ear.

“Oh my little love, don’t be embarrassed by your need for me. Do you know how many times I touched myself this past year, thinking of your lovely face? I grasped my fat cock in my hand and thought of you beneath me, your tight velvet ass squeezing me hard and the way you smell, the way your skin feels like hot silk under my hands, the pink of your lips and the way you move when I ride you hard the way you like it and the sounds you make when you come. Oh, I thought of little else. I needed you Aki, there were times in the nights, when thought of you kept me up for hours and no matter how many times I pleasured myself, thoughts of you kept me hard with need. I missed your body and all that you are, your spirit and your smile and you laughter. You were there in that dark place with me, you were the light that kept me sane.”

Asami claimed his lips, his beard was rough, his tongue delved deep, hungry. He stole Akihito’s breath from his lungs. It was like trying to suck down lightning. He was hot and wild and Akihito could feel his need pressing into his thigh where Asami rubbed against him. He was hard too.

Their lovemaking was wild and desperate, Asami only slowing when it came time to enter him. It hurt, it hurt nearly as much as it did the very first time Akihito had taken that impressive width inside his small body. But this time the pain was welcome, he found he could take anything, bear anything, because it was Asami and he was home, finally, finally home. And everything would be alright.

They lay awake for hours, exhausted and replete, but unwilling to be parted again, even if only by sleep. Their skin was covered by a thin sheen of sweat and Akihito had allowed the fire to go out long ago. They lay on their sides facing one another, hungry eyes memorizing the others beloved face in the low candlelight. Asami spoke of the war and the things he had done, what he had seen. When he spoke of what happened to Akihito’s father, his voice broke and he closed his eyes for a long moment, his strong throat working hard, Akihito held him tightly and made sure he knew that Akihito didn’t blame him, knew it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t mention that he had been there, had seen it himself. Asami leaned into the comfort he offered, the absolution and he finally put down the tormented cross he had been carrying all those months. They were both silent for a long moment. Akihito stroked his hair and soothed the beast inside until Asami finally fell into a deep dreamless sleep, laying his dark head down, safe in pale circle of Akihito’s arms.

-


	24. Albatross

 

 

_There's an albatross around your neck,_   
_All the things you've said,_   
_And the things you've done,_   
_Can you carry it with no regrets?_   
_Can you stand the person you've become?_   
  
_Stepping forward out into the day_   
_Shrugging off the dust and memory_   
_Though it's soaring still above your head_   
_It is out of sight and none shall see_   
  
_Your albatross, let it go, let it go,_   
_Your albatross shoot it down, shoot it down_   
_When you just can't shake_   
_The heavy weight of living_   
_It's the just sun in your eyes, in your eyes_

 

 


	25. Chapter 25

“You’ve been spending your days doing WHAT!?!”

Asami’s voice roared, and Akihito practically felt his hair blowing back from the force.

“Um….working.. in the fields…with the other Oscines?” He said it again, hesitantly this time. Failing to understand exactly why Asami was so upset by something he had just mentioned in passing.

Asami’s face registered equal parts fury and confusion, “Outside the castle, outside the city walls?! Are you insane, why in Gods name would you take a risk like that?? Why would you even want to?” 

“Its not such a risk, the others do it every day. And I like to do it, I like being with them, I like feeling useful”, he shrugged. It really wasn’t such a big deal.

“I forbid it!”

Akihito stared at him open mouthed. “But why?”

He honestly didn’t understand. What could be so harmful about going out in the fields, surrounded by the Oscines and all the other serving birds…..they did it every day without incident.

“Don’t you understand? Even now?” Asami strode to the window and threw it open, gesturing to the green fields that rolled as far as the eye could see. “This is why!”

Akihito cocked his head to the side. Asami groaned and face palmed. He tried to calm himself down. Akihito’s innocent blue eyes were wide and he didn’t want to frighten the boy. Obviously, he honestly didn’t realize he was doing anything wrong. He tried to explain calmly and rationally, “I have seen the results of drought in every land we have conquered. How it weakens the people, how they go hungry, the pain and the fear. My mother told me the stories and I KNOW what a gift you are. The rain you bring down to us. Every single person in the city depends on you. Without you, we would starve, the fields would dry and wither, the crops would die. Akihito you simply cannot take such risks.”

He protested, “Its not risky! All the others…”

Asami cut him off immediately, “It’s not risky for THEM. It is for YOU. You are different. Every step you take outside this castle is risky. I can’t protect you everywhere. Do you have any concept of how many enemies the Falcons have? There are traitors everywhere. Do you have any idea what they would do to get their hands on you? You are the key to bringing down this empire and thanks to the foolishness of my father’s past displays, every enemy we have knows it. Without you, we all fall. Do you understand?”

He did, but how could Asami expect him to live like that? For the rest of his life, caged up in the castle? Safe but alone? Forever? Maybe before he had met the Oscines, come to love them, made friends among them, it would have been enough. But not anymore. Not anymore. He couldn’t go back to life in a cage, no matter how much he loved Asami. He needed to make him understand. There must be some sort of middle ground they could reach.

Akihito pleaded, “Ryu, please, I can’t-”

Asami’s eyes blazed, “This is NOT up for discussion Akihito.” 

“But if you could just listen-”

“ENOUGH. You will not leave this castle, do you understand me?”

Asami’s heavy handedness was really starting to piss him off. He couldn’t just come back here and expect Akihito to throw away everything he had become over the past year without him and abandon all the friends he had made. Especially without listening to a single word Akihito had to say. The boy's temper flared and he stood up, hands fisted at his side, “Screw you Ryu, if I want to leave this castle I will. You can’t stop me!”

The black eyebrow quirked scathingly, “Oh can’t I?”.

God, there were times that he hated that fucking smartass smirk of his. Akihito shouted this time, turning to walk out the door, “You don’t own me, I’ll go where I please and….”

Asami grabbed him around the middle and threw him backwards onto the bed. Straddling him and subduing him with an ease that absolutely infuriated Akihito. Things were escalating quickly, the two hot tempers meeting head on for the first time. Fiery blue eyes glared up as the giant Falcon leaned over him. Akihito would be damned if he’d let Asami intimidate him…

“I don’t own you eh? It seems you still don’t understand this relationship. Perhaps you misunderstood what I meant when I said you were MINE forever Akihito. I most definitely own that sweet little ass of yours, would you like me to prove it to you?” The big hands drifted lower, roughly pulling Akihito’s kimono open, exposing his bare chest and tight nipples to that infuriating gaze.

“No, get your hands off me. I mean it.” He shoved at the persistent hands and tried to wiggle free, but it was a losing battle and Akihito was soon stripped bare; squirming under the heat of Asami’s intense stare.

He leaned down and growled low in Aki’s ear, “You don’t give the orders in this relationship, Akihito. Your freedom is in my hands. If I tell you to stay in this castle, you’ll STAY in this castle.”

It was times like this Akihito was really glad Asami didn’t know about his ability to shadowwalk. He smirked at Asami, spitting fire, “You just try to lock me up, you just TRY.”

Asami’s voice was getting progressively calmer, which should have been a sign to Akihito that it was probably time to stop talking back. “Are you testing me little boy? You think I can’t, think I won’t?”

Akihito lifted his head up, thrust his chin forward and growled, “I KNOW you can’t.”

Asami said nothing to that. He leaned back slowly. His hands moving to the leather belt of his uniform, unbuckling it and stretching it taut between between his two giant fists.

Finally, Akihito started to get nervous. Too little, too late. His eyes widened as Asami snapped the black leather tight. 

His voice quavered a bit and now he wished he could take the challenging words back, “Ryu?!”

The warrior brought the leather over the blond's head, taking his wrists in hand and strapping them together tight, fastened to the bedframe above him. He moved quickly, it happened in an instant. Aki kicked and twisted, trying to snake his hands free, but however Asami had tied them, they were not coming loose.

Asami’s hand came up and held his thrashing head still, moving lower and lower, taking the gasping lips under his own. He claimed them furiously. Moving his hands on Akihito’s soft skin, kneading and pressing it until he was panting and hot. He spread the slender legs wide, kneeling in between before raising the squirmy hips up to his mouth, feasting on the boy's straining flesh, sucking him hard, giving him no respite until Akihito’s eyes rolled back and he cried out. Asami swallowed it, relishing the taste of his submission before throwing Akihito back down, flipping him roughly.

Akihito’s struggles renewed, pulling uselessly at his trapped hands. Asami smiled, leaning over the helpless form. He ran his hand up the back of the slender white neck, pausing at the nape and threading his fingers in the fine, soft silver hair. He used his own muscular thighs to spread the pretty legs, wide, wide apart, until the crease of his pert round bottom spread apart, exposing the precious pink ring in between. He held the back of his neck, pressing his face down into the bed in a show of dominance, while he lubed his throbbing cock. Akihito gasped, his spine stiffening when he felt the huge width pressing against his small, unstretched passage. 

Asami leaned forward, speaking low into the perfect shell of his ear, while slowly working himself into that exquisitely tight, fluttering ring of flesh. He had to speak louder, to be sure he was being heard above the keening wail that was now coming from Akihito’s throat, “Shall I remind you just who your master is?”

He shoved his hips forward for emphasis, reaming him open wider suddenly, smiling, knowing the cry that came from Akihito’s lips well. The sound he made when Asami rubbed him just right inside, mewling in pleasure and pain. He made sure to hit that spot, over and over and over, rubbing the thick mushroom head of his cock hard against it each time. Asami’s smile was fierce, his teeth bared as he watched Akihito fall apart underneath him, pleading and sobbing, yet pressing his perfect little ass back hungrily to meet every single vicious thrust. 

Asami held himself up on one strong arm, muscles rippling and flexing as he powered into the slender body below him. With the other hand he stroked Aki’s sweaty back and threaded his fingers through that soft shaggy hair again, this time grabbing it, twisting it around his fingers and jerking his head back. He suddenly stopped moving altogether.

“Say it Akihito.”

Akihito dug his toes into the bed and pushed his hips back, whining in frustration and trying to push his backside onto Asami’s thick cock. Asami didn't move. The strong fist just pulled his hair tighter until little teardrops formed in the corner of Akihito’s pretty jewel-like eyes.

“Who do you belong to sweet boy?”

Akihito finally broke, whimpering in need, humbly whispering the words they both know are true, “You, Ryu. I belong to you..”

“Good boy”, Asami laughed darkly and slammed back into him, burying his cock to the hilt and relishing the scream of pleasure Akihito made, guttural and heavy with need. The little bird began to sob, shaking as the brutal fucking took its toll on him. He was close, Asami could feel it, the way his insides were quivering and fluttering around him, like hot wet silk, squeezing him so tight it was almost painful. He spanked Akihito's precious little ass hard, with the palm of his open hand, leaving a bright red mark. Akihito screamed again, cumming unexpectedly from the sudden sharp pain. He clenched down hard and drug Asami over the edge with him, forcing the Falcon to shoot ropes of cum into his hot, clutching, raw, well-used hole.

Asami collapsed to his side and lay there trying to catch his breath. He released Akihito’s wrists when he was good and ready, hauling the love of his life into his arms.

He kissed the limp boy’s sweaty forehead and wet cheeks, muttering to himself, “Can’t stop you my ass.” 

Even if he had to fuck him through the bed night and day and keep the poor boy too exhausted to move, he would make sure to keep Akihito locked up and safe in the castle from now on.

-


	26. Chapter 26

The next morning, Akihito awoke alone, feeling upset and all out of sorts. He knew Asami meant what he said about Akihito having to stay inside the castle. But the man was paranoid! He had been gone too long, been at war so long he was seeing enemies were there were none. Akihito sighed to himself. Once Asami got used to being back home, he would get back to normal. And once he saw that Akihito left the castle everyday and came back safe every night; he would see there was really no harm being done. He would come around. Akihito smiled hopefully. It was just so good to have the stubborn jerk back home.

He got dressed in hurry, in his work clothes and scooted down to the kitchen. He was hoping to see Asami, kiss him good morning and let him know all was forgiven from their argument last night, but the Falcon was nowhere to be seen. The boy shrugged and grabbed some bread from the kitchen before shadowwalking to just outside the city gates. He opened the pantry door and walked through, disoriented for a moment as he came out into the sun and the scent of the fields ahead of him. There was Kou and Takato walking towards the fields. He had expected to have to sit a wait for them like usual, but apparently they had left a little early….or maybe he was late. He ran to catch them.

“Hey guys! Wait for me!!”

“Well, look who finally decided to show up!” Kou smarted off, but his smile was genuine, ruffling Akihito’s hair when he finally came up next to them, panting a little.

“We waited for you, but we finally had to leave. We heard General Asami was back so we thought maybe you weren’t allowed to work with us anymore.” Said the sensible Takato

Akihito scratched the back of his head awkwardly, “Technically, I’m not. Asami forbid it.” 

Kou and Takato looked at each other over his head, exchanging worried glances.

“I saw that!” Aki protested, “What you think I’m gonna let that jerkface just breeze back in here and lock me up again just because he’s convinced the world is out to get me?”

“Well, he’s not completely off the mark on that one Aki, and there are still rogue fighters and guerrilla groups throughout the kingdom. Some were spotted just recently in the woods to the west.” Takato pointed at the dark line of trees in the distance.

“Yea, that may be so, but have you guys forgotten? I can take care of myself.” Akihito grinned, lifting his hand up, blue flames sprouting from the palm and slowly covering it entirely. Kou and Takato stared dumbfounded for a moment before their mouths snapped shut.

Kou grinned wide, watching the fire burn. “True enough man! That's so freaking cool, they better not mess with you.”

Takato stared at the flames too, but his face was worried. Akihito brushed it off, “Lighten up guys! Anyways if I get caught by Asami, it’ll be my ass roasting on a spit, not yours.”

Kou shook his head, “Ok, if you say so, but the whole damn kingdom knows how possessive he is over you. I hope you’re right.”

“Don’t worry so much, I know him better than anybody, he’ll get over it. It'll be fine.” Akihito closed his hand, extinguishing the flames and started walking, “Come on guys, lets go.”

Takato threw one last worried glance at Kou who shrugged his shoulders and hurried to catch up with Akihito.

 

-

 

The first few hours, Akihito was super nervous, he had never purposely disobeyed Asami before. Not ever. It was a new feeling, scratchy under his skin and he didn’t particularly like it. He felt…. twitchy. But hour after hour passed and he slowly forgot what he had been so nervous about anyway. The work has hard as usual, but when lunchtime came, he and the others workers headed down to the stream to stick their hot feet in and eat their lunches. They were soon talking and laughing so loudly, splashing each other that no one noticed the dark shadows in the air until one landed right behind Akihito, the huge figure casting a shadow over the tiny boy. 

He had his head thrown back laughing with his eyes closed at a joke Kou had just told him. He realized that something was wrong when the group around him suddenly went silent, Kou quickly pulled back the arm he had thrown around Akihito’s shoulder. The little blond gasped and looked behind him. Eyes going as wide as the others around him when he looked at the giant behind him. His golden eyes were burning with barely contained fury. A number of frustrated looking solders landed behind him. Every eye focused on the tiny little Oscine with the pure white wings that they had been looking for, for several hours now. He stood awkwardly, turning to face the music. Asami was intimidating as all get out. He stood well above all the other soldiers, dressed in the black uniform of the Falcon warrior with the special insignia on his chest indicating his rank. He had leather cuffs covering his massive forearms and was armed to the teeth. His hair was slightly messed, falling over his angry forehead. Akihito would have thought he looked hot as fuck…. if only he didn’t look so incredibly pissed off.

Akihito opened his mouth to speak, but Asami cut him off, grabbing him by the back of his shirt, snatching him into the air without a word and throwing him over his shoulder. Akihito gasped and swallowed at the dizzying movement of being hurled into the air upside down. Seconds later they were a hundred feet high and headed back to the castle. Asami landed on the balcony and barked orders to his soldiers. “Station guards on the balcony doors and the entrance, he is not to leave this room.”

He shoved Akihito into the room ahead of him and followed close behind, slamming the doors behind him. Aki tripped, fell on his side, catching himself with his hands. He lay there, stunned for a moment, looking at Asami with wide eyes. He felt like he hardly knew this person and for the first time ever, he was actually afraid of Asami. He flinched when the giant man grabbed him to pick him up off the floor and it seemed to enrage him even further. He held Akihito by the shoulders, pressing him into the wall behind him and towering over the petite figure.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice or were you trying to piss me off? I gave you a direct order. And you DARE disobey me? Did you think there wouldn’t be consequences? That I won’t lock you up? I told you last night, your freedom is in my hands. You just earned yourself a one way ticket to your very own gilded cage.” His voice was a roar and he shouted question after question at Akihito, not waiting for an answer, until Akihito’s blood was boiling with his own rage.

“FUCK YOU ASAMI!” He shouted back, his fists clenched in anger. “I am my own person and I have my own life and how dare you treat me this way?!”

“How dare I? Who the fuck do you think you are talking to little boy?”

“I’m talking to you asshole! You think you have to lock me up in the castle to protect me, well guess what? I’ve got news for you, I’ve did just fine this past year without you. I can take care of myself!”

Asami’s nostrils flared and his fingers tightened on Akihito’s slender shoulders, leaving marks, “You think you can defend yourself? Don’t make me laugh, you have no clue what a Hawk or an Eagle could do to you, in an instant. You never learned how to fight!”

“And WHOSE FAULT IT IS THAT? I asked over and over for you to train me and you LAUGHED, you fucking laughed at me. Well, guess what? I may not be able to fight anybody, but I’m not powerless, and I can do some things even you can’t Asami!”

“Those things mean NOTHING in battle! Have you forgotten what happened to your father?!”

Akihito’s and Asami’s eyes both widened in shock at what Asami had just said. The cruel words hanging in the air between them. Asami released his shoulders and Akihito drew back from him, staring up at Asami with a wounded, bruised look in his eyes that shot Asami right through the heart. 

The warrior's voice softened, but not by much, “You will stay in this room, until you have learned your lesson. And when I’m good and fucking ready, I will let you out.” He strode from the room, locking the doors behind him with a resounding click that echoed throughout the silent room.

It woke Akihito from his stun, he flew at the door, beating on it with his small fists, screaming to be heard, “This isn’t over Asami, you can’t DO this to me, you can’t lock me up, you said you would never LOCK ME UP!” He slid down the door to his knees on the floor, his voice fading to a sad whisper as the tears started to fall, “You promised, you promised.….”

-


	27. Flaws

 

  
_When all of your flaws and all of my flaws_   
_Are laid out one by one_   
_A wonderful part of the mess that we made_   
_We pick ourselves undone_   
  
_All of your flaws and all of my flaws_   
_They lie there hand in hand_   
_Ones we've inherited, ones that we learned_   
_They pass from man to man_

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

He continued to escape, over and over. Asami had enough frustrations to deal with, controlling the Oscines and mediating between them and his father. His fuse became shorter and shorter with Akihito’s antics. He dragged him back to the room again and again. But he continued to run and Asami chased, hunting him down each and every time. He couldn’t figure out how the boy was doing it, with guards stationed at every door, every window. He was as slippery as an eel. 

Akihito screamed at him, raged, beat him with his fists, but Asami wouldn’t be moved. Every single time the boy left the room, Asami dragged him back by his hair, sometimes literally. He longed to be free of the shouting matches and the anger, the constant battles of will, to go back to the way things had been before. When things between them had been so easy. When those big blue eyes had looked at Asami like he hung the moon….

That night, Asami came to bed late. After a long day of putting out fires, he came home to one last flame, burning hotter than the rest. He stripped off his uniform, throwing it carelessly to the floor, sliding into bed. Akihito’s blond hair poked up from below the covers, but his face was hidden underneath. Asami knew he wasn’t asleep. The angry words between them still festered in the air. He leaned over and stroked his hair, tugging the covers down so he could see his face. He frowned up at Asami, his lovely brow creased with angry wrinkles. 

Asami leaned down to place a kiss on top of them, but Akihito pulled away, rolling away with a grunt and taking the covers with him, turning his back on Asami. Asami trailed his fingers down the tense hourglass of his waist and hip. He was sick of the wall between them, the cold and the silence. It had been days since Akihito had spoken a civil word to him.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Asami frowned, grabbing Akihito’s shoulder and rolling him on his back. He protested angrily when Asami leaned down over him, pinning him in place. “I mean it Ryu!”

A large hands cupped the precious face. His voice was low and sincere. “Akihito, listen to me very carefully. The sun sets on our differences when night falls in this bedroom. Your body belongs to me and I will not allow you to deny me that which is rightfully mine. And I will not deny you, what is rightfully yours.”

Akihito looked up at him with unshed tears brimming in his lovely eyes, the lashes dark and wet. “And when we wake in the morning….we go back….as before?”

Asami nodded, “If that is what you wish”

Akihito sobbed, tears falling freely now, but opened his arms, clutching the large man close, meeting his lips hungrily, offering up his body to Asami’s.

-

The next morning, Asami woke with his thoughts and body refreshed, he felt certain Akihito had softened towards him, that they had met somewhere on the bridge, that his soft heart had yielded. He rolled with the boy in his arms, kissing his lovely eyes until they opened. But what he saw in those eyes wasn’t forgiveness, only pride and anger. He pulled away roughly from Asami’s arms, sitting up on the side of the bed, jerking his robe on. He strode to the window and before Asami’s astonished eyes, without a word, he pulled back the curtain and pointed at the sun, refusing to speak to him yet again.

Asami’s eyes flashed, his anger and temper rising as Akihito turned and went into the washroom. Asami dressed slowly in his uniform, the honor of the Falcon General weighing especially heavy on his broad shoulders today. His hands shook slightly with the cold fury that was coursing through his veins. The warrior slammed his massive fist into the wall next to the bed. FINE. If that’s how Akihito wanted to have it. If that’s all what they had meant to him, that he could live with this between them. Asami would be damned if he’d beg. He didn’t notice the droplets falling on the floor beneath his injured hand, the red blood staining the pure white wall or the crack that had begun to course its way across the smooth surface..

-


	29. The Weight of Living

 

  
_All that you desired, when you were a child_   
_Was to be old,_   
_Now that you are here, suddenly you fear_   
_You've lost control_   
_Do you like the person you've become?_

_You tell yourself this is how it's going to be._  
 _Under the weight of living_  
 _You're under the weight of living_  
  
 _It all crept up on you, in the night it got you_  
 _And plagued your mind,_  
 _Every day that passes, faster than the last did_  
 _And you'll be old soon_  
 _Do you like the person you've become?_


	30. Chapter 30

The Oscines began to try to leave, in groups that grew larger and larger. More and more packing their small belongings and taking to the sky. They always headed to the East, always. Asami thought they were trying to head to the forest, to disappear among the trees. They never got far. It was laughable really, pathetic. As if they thought they could actually hide from the sharp eyes of Falcon warriors. The warriors’ drug them back again and again until the king ordered that they be fitted with wing straps, leather harnesses that fit tightly over their backs, preventing them from opening their wings and locking in the back. There were only a few to be had, previously only used on prisoners of war and more for humiliation than anything else. The blacksmiths and tanner worked day and night to produce more. 

Asami hated it, knew it was only a temporary solution, they couldn’t be kept in harnesses forever as long-term use would cause significant damage, permanently disfigure their wings. And the humiliation would only make them want to leave more. Somehow the Falcons had to make them understand that the consequences of continued disobedience far outweighed their desire for freedom. Somehow…..

-

The boy was stretched tautly. His wrists bound over his head, cuffed to the metal ring mounted on the dungeon wall and his ankles tied to the spreader bar. Even his delicate wings were bound, clipped and outstretched and out of harm’s reach of the flogger. He had fought hard, harder than Asami had imagined he would. But Asami had secured him well, determined that never again, would he frantically search for his missing lover, who persisted in careening carelessly across the countryside, showing zero respect and regard for Asami’s orders. Yesterday he had gone too far, had been caught with a large group of Oscines trying to flee the city. That green eyed girl had been with him.

Akihito was alternating between anger and fear, cursing Asami and begging to be released. Asami had spent the better part of the day with the dungeon master, the whip wielder, learning how to use the instrument in his hand. It wasn’t that he had never flogged anyone before. He had. Many, many times. On his men, other Falcons, strong and sturdy brutes. Traitors. Enemies that he was interrogating. His position as a leader and trainer of soldiers had demanded that he mete out many brutal punishments over the past few years. But never before had he been concerned about damaging them, in fact, he had been trying to. Leaving scars and marks, breaking the skin and tearing the flesh. Never before had he particularly cared if he left injuries that never healed. Never. 

Never had he thought he’d be standing here, standing over Akihito with THIS in his hand. Never thought there was anything in the world that would make him raise his hand to his beloved, much less the whip. But he knew what could happen to Aki if he continued down this path, continued to expose him to the danger. Asami knew how real the danger was, knew what would happen to the delicate creature if he were captured by one of the Falcon’s many enemies. He would be tortured, torn apart. He had tried over and over to reason with Aki, but the boy refused to hear him, refused to yield to logic and now, he was actually trying to leave.... It was unthinkable. This was the only way. The boy had to learn that there were consequences to his disobedience. And from here on out, they would be swift and brutal. Asami would not allow Akihito to put himself in danger. Not anymore. The songbird would obey him. Starting today.

He brought it down carefully, not moving too fast or too slow, flicking his wrist so the strands of the whip met the flesh evenly in the middle and not at the tips, where it might tear into him. It met the tender skin with a loud crack, the skin going stark white before rising up into a blood red welt. Akihito’s pained wail was almost enough to make him throw down the flogger and untie him. Gather him in his arms and kiss him until the pain was gone and Akihito was gasping his name in pleasure. 

The sound of Akihito’s frightened sobbing struck him in his heart, like an arrow, it felt like there was a hole in his chest, it pulsed and bled beneath his shirt. His hands trembled and he swallowed hard. If he stopped now, it would do Aki no good. They would be in the exact same place as before. In fact, in a worse position, because Asami hadn’t followed up on his threat and if Aki discovered most of his threats were hollow, there would be no controlling him. He had to finish this. He had to do this. Do this for Aki. And for himself.

He brought the flogger down again and again. He felt each strike acutely, with more pain than if it had been his own flesh under the whip. He was careful never to hit the same place more than once. The delicate porcelain skin broke out in bright red welts and purple bruises. He painted the boy down from the middle of his back, over his tender little bottom and stopping at the backs of his sensitive thighs. He knew how that soft flesh felt under his hands, how exquisitely sensitive it was. He remembered the taste and the touch. 

He didn’t stop until Akihito was arching his back, screaming in agony with every stroke, crying, his entire body shaking violently from the fire in his skin. He knew the exact moment Akihito lost consciousness, sagging in his bonds. His mind breaking from the beating Asami inflicted on his fragile body. 

Asami moved quickly, releasing the metal cuffs from around his slender, bruised wrists before they could do any real harm. He carefully released the ropes holding his wings and ankles. Kneeling down with Akihito in his lap, only now does Asami break too. Clutching the small boy close, one final pained scream fills the air. The dark head bows low. He doesn’t realize the tears now falling onto Akihito’s cheeks are his own.

-

He tried to ignore the fear in those beautiful eyes. The way he flinched when Asami moved too close to him, too quickly. The betrayal written on his face, the bruised shadows in his eyes whenever he looked at him. The loss of that precious, spirited fire that had always characterized his every move, the loss of trust Akihito had always had given Asami completely. Tried to tell himself that he could live with Akihito’s hatred, just so long as he didn’t have to live without Akihito himself. 

Told himself it was enough, that he was finally safe, that he was finally obedient. In the harsh light of day, he hardened his heart and steeled his resolve and showed no sign of remorse, no sign of how those sad blue eyes haunted him, destroyed him. But every night when his boy’s shallow breaths became deep and even, Asami would hold him close, praying, whispering a litany of the same three words over and over and over again.

-


	31. Get Home

 

  
_This is just another night_   
_And we've had many of them_   
_To the morning we're cast out_   
_But I know I'll land here again_   
  
_How am I gonna get myself back home?_   
  
_There's a light in the bedroom_   
_But it's dark_   
_Scattered around on the floor are_   
_All my souls_   
  
_How am I gonna get myself back home?_   
  
_The birds are mocking me_   
_They call to be heard_   
_The birds are mocking me_   
_They curse my return_   
  


 


	32. Chapter 32

He looked down at the Oscines in the streets, running from the Falcons, hopelessly outmatched, outnumbered. And yet they continued to come, day after day. Holding their signs and chanting, protesting until the Falcon soldiers were unleashed upon them. He ground his teeth, his fingers digging into the stone of the battlement that looked over the square below.

“WHY? WHY Do you PERSIST?” He wasn’t sure who he was even talking to at this point.

A small quiet voice came from behind him. He didn’t turn around. He knew who it was. Didn’t bother to even ask him how he had escaped this time.

“Because we deserve to be free. Because we are no less than you, different, but not less. We deserve to be free, to live our own lives, to make our own choices about what’s best for us and as long as we remain here, that will never happen.”

“So we should just let you leave? Out into the wild, with the other predators? Let you be torn to pieces, defenseless and alone? Let you be hunted to extinction this time around?” Asami laughed mockingly, “Never. We will never let your people go. You belong to the Falcon.”

“You cannot own the Oscine. And its our choice to make.”

Asami turned to him, his eyes wild with anger and desperation, “You would leave with them.” It wasn’t a question.

Akihito nodded slowly, his blue eyes calm, the truth shining in them. Asami felt his heart turn to stone, cold, immovable. He moved slowly toward the small figure and clasped it with rough hands. Never. He would never allow Akihito to leave him. NEVER. Akihito belonged to him. This time, this time he would MAKE him understand…... This time.

-

The riots and rebellions begin to die down, the Oscines beaten into submission time and time again by the Falcons. They had been beginning to give in, defeated by the harsh boot on their necks. Immovable. Until one day the posters appeared, wallpapering the streets. Two simple words, “Never Forget” and a drawing of Akihito’s father, his chest ripped open, dead on the ground with the king standing over him triumphant, holding the bleeding heart in his hand. 

The king was FURIOUS, he was out for blood. It was all Asami could do to keep him from putting the first Oscine he saw on the chopping block. An investigation determined that two young male Oscines were responsible for the poster and distributing it throughout the city. He smiled wide when his informants handed him the names of the two Oscines responsible; Takato and Kou. It was too perfect. The ones who had put thoughts of freedom in his precious boy’s head while he had been away. They were the ones responsible. They would pay.

-

“If you do this, I will NEVER forgive you Asami. Never.” Akihito raged, his eyes sparking with fire. His slender hands wrapped around the iron bars of the cold cell.

Asami smirked at him, his eyes cold as ice. “I don’t want your forgiveness Akihito, all I require from you is obedience”.

The dungeon door clanged shut as Asami left. Let’s see Akihito try to escape this time. The execution would take place as scheduled, it would be flawless, sending a message to all the Oscines who still thought they could oppose the Falcons and win.

-

The Oscines were wailing, screaming, fighting to get through the soldiers to save the two bound men with the nooses around their necks. Their faces are covered in black hoods, hands tied behind their backs. Every eye is fixed on the two figures, the line of Falcon soldiers holding back the crowd with ease and there is nothing they can do to save them. Nothing. Asami smiled cruelly, nodding, signaling to the executioner’s below.

A flash of fire slices through the air, cutting the ropes as the doors open beneath their feet. They fall through the open doors, but nothing is heard from underneath the platform. Chaos erupts, the soldiers running to retrieve the prisoners or the bodies, but they find nothing. The king’s veins bulging in rage. Asami doesn’t move from his position. His burning golden eyes are fixed on the small figure standing motionless in the tallest tower of the castle, far above crowd but with the best view of anyone. Silver hair blowing in the wind. Asami eyes narrowed in blind fury, his teeth bared in a silent snarl. He would pay dearly for his defiance...

-


	33. Chapter 33

Akihito was exhausted, out of breath from running from Asami and his men, even with his abilities he had barely stayed ahead of them this time. He had led them far, far away from the castle and then shadowwalked back. He went to find his mother, unsure of whether or not she was even aware of the events of the past few weeks. Whether she was aware of anything that went on outside of her little room was doubtful to him. Regardless, the Oscines were making their escape tonight and she was coming with them. He was going to take them all through the door this time, they would come out somewhere in the forest, far in the East. He had tried it with Kou and Takato a few times and felt certain he could take them all with him. Akihito stood in the doorway, helplessly watching her tears fall. Her tears had become so commonplace, but it made them no less difficult to bear. 

She seemed so fragile, so small and weak. As if his mother was letting herself die slowly, following her mate to the grave. He would have done anything to see her smile. Her sobs grew in intensity and duration and suddenly he realized, something was different about them today. Something other than his father’s death had caused these tears. He approached her from behind, gently lowering his hands to rest on her shaking shoulders. From the moment he touched her, he became aware of the third presence in the room. The tiny child she carried inside. His half brother….and Asami’s. 

For the first time in his life, Akihito knew what it was to hate. The Falcon King, whose greed knew no bounds. The brutal dictator, who had enslaved his people, killed his father and raped his mother.

It wasn’t fire that lit Akihito's eyes, but ice. Bitter and freezing cold filling his heart. He turned and left the room without a word. Heading for the throne room.

He blew the enormous doors open with the wind, they slammed loudly against the walls, one breaking off its hinges, tumbling to the side. The wind howled into the castle, ripped through the great hall, the glass windows shattering from the force, ripping the tapestries from the walls. He was blind to the destruction he was causing and unaware that his skin was covered in blue flames, his hair burning wildly. The palace guard moved quickly to stop his path. Walls of ice shot from the floor, the points grew quickly pinning them back against the walls until they could hardly move, razor sharp tips within in millimeters of their throats. Leaving a clear path between him and his target. The king didn’t hesitate, pulling his sword, his massive black wings unfurling, preparing to strike Akihito down. 

He was too late, the vines grew from behind him, wrapping around his arms and legs, ripping the sword from his fingers and pinning him down and back to the throne. Akihito walked slowly forward, hatred in his cold blue eyes. His mind was full of it. His father’s useless death, his mother’s broken tears. The whips and the chains. The rape and defilement of both his mother and his people. 

The flames start slowly, licking the king’s flesh as he screamed. And screamed. And screamed. The fire burned white hot, until there was nothing left but a blackened skeleton, its jaw hanging open in a final silent scream, its fingers clenching the black throne in agony. Akihito watched and smiled, revenge twisting his beautiful face into an ugly mask.

He turned and walked from the hall. 

Only when he finds himself outside, standing in the gentle glow of the moonlight, does the ice cold hatred begin to thaw and he remembers Asami. Akihito's mouth opens in horror as he remembers and comes back to himself. Asami. The reality of what he has just done sinks in and he falls forward onto his hands and knees in the dirt. Asami will never forgive him, never. Hopeless tears fell from his eyes and spattered on the bare earth. All he wanted….. was a safe place, a safe place for himself, for his people. A safe place. He screams and the lightning flashes, the moon goes dark and the small figure falls forward, collapsing into oblivion on the hard ground beneath him..

-


	34. Daniel in the Den

 

_And you thought the lions were bad_   
_Well they tried to kill my brothers_

  
_And for every king that died_   
_Oh they would crown another_

  
_And it's harder than you think_   
_Telling dreams from one another_

  
_And you thought the lions were bad_   
_Well they tried to kill my brothers_   
  
_And felled in the night_   
_By the ones you think you love_   
_They will come for you_

_Dreaming alone, at a pace you'll understand_   
_Oh, to see what it means to be free_

  
_Of the shackles and the dreams_   
_That you claim to see_

  
_Felled in the night_   
_By the ones you think you love_   
_They will come for you_


	35. Chapter 35

No one knew where they had gone. They had disappeared without a trace. Every single one. For months, for years, they searched and searched for them, but not so much as a feather was found. The cruel reality began to set in as well, The Falcons had grown far past what the land could support on its own without the Ocatricces’s magic. The droughts were long and intense, the green fields withering before their eyes, under the scorching heat that offered no respite. They cursed the Oscines and with the same breath cried for them to come home. Asami’s people began to weaken, to die, their mouths dry, their bellies swollen but empty.

-

The Oscines wake in their beds, safe and sound. But the rest of the city is silent, empty. They are the only ones that remain. The entire city is empty. For hours, they wait, sure that the Falcons will return any moment. Hours turn to days, days to weeks and no sign of them is seen. Slowly they realize that they are truly are gone. The Falcons are gone and the Oscines are free. They erupted with joy, hailing Akihito as a hero, a king. Their worshipful eyes burned in the Songbird's broken heart. It took him a long time to understand what had happened, where the Falcons had gone to.

One day Kou comes running to him, pulling him into the fields beyond the castle walls. They stop just beyond the stream, the furthest point Akihito had ever been from the castle. He tried to take a step forward, but found he couldn’t. Pressing his hands forward onto an invisible wall.

Immovable. Slowly he comes to realize, it is not the Falcons who have vanished, but in fact the Oscines. Somehow his powers had manifested, pulling them in a world of Akihito’s own creation. The safe place he had dreamed of. A bubble in space and time, a hollow mirror of the real world, that they are trapped inside. Its gilded cage from which they can never leave. No matter how Akihito tries he cannot find a way out, his magic impenetrable, even to himself.

His mother gives birth to a beautiful baby boy, with her beautiful eyes and the Falcon King’s silky black locks. She surrenders to the pain of childbirth as the Falcon queen before her, her body already so very weak. At this point Akihito knows his magic could fix her body, bring her back. But he lets her go, knows where she wants to be, the gratitude in her eyes evident as they close for the last time. Akihito believes his heart is shattered beyond repair, that he can never love again. His baby brother proves him so very wrong.

He lives and breathes for Fei Long. Watches breathlessly as his powers begin to manifest. Fei doesn’t have the power of fire or earth, the wind or the water. Nohis only power is the Sky, he shares Akihito’s most powerful and most dangerous gift; the power of the Void. And at times, it rages out of control in his small body, transporting him hither and yon. Akihito tries to train him, to share the wisdom and the truth Kirishima shared with him, but still he lacks the control. 

One day during a thunderstorm, he accidentally transports himself into the very center of it, Akihito followed close behind, trying desperately to catch hold of him. Fei’s frantic struggles rip a hole in the invisible walls of Akihito’s magic, both of their small bodies transported back, back to the land of the Falcons and down, down to the hard ground.

-


	36. Chapter 36

_Present_

Akihito held his breath as he heard Asami pull his sword, pulling at his bonds with more than a hint of panic. His eyes were open wide with terror but unseeing. He was in shock for the first blow, not really believing Asami would do it. The Songbird felt the mutilation of his own body with almost the detached objectivity of a faraway observer. The pain was completely obliterated by the terror surging through him. Asami’s sword was so sharp, Akihito hardly felt it pierce his flesh, slicing through bone and muscle like butter. There was no resistance. He felt himself fall, like a puppet with its strings cut. As the loss of the connection with his right wing suddenly became real, Akihito began to scream in fear and panic, knowing it was already too late, there was nothing he could do. 

He screamed again as he felt the blade pierce the base of his left wing this, slicing through it with ease. Suddenly his entire body weight was supported by his wrists. Just like that, they were gone. His wings, his beautiful white wings were gone… GONE….bobbing a little in the air next to him, still held aloft by hooks, like a child’s plaything on a string. He could feel the blood pouring down his back in torrents, pulsing in time with his beating heart. Its wet and hot on his back, the large arteries that had fed his wings were ripped wide open. It ran in rivulets down the backs of his legs, like scalding water pouring over him. Through his tears, he saw Asami walk calmly to the fire burning in the hearth, thrusting the blade down deep into the hot base of the flame. He didn’t lift it back out until it began to glow, white hot in the dark room.

Akihito’s eyes began to feel heavy, his head spinning, his body cold. He only barely registered Asami walking back behind him. His vision was starting to go black from the blood loss, his head starting to fall forward. His eyes shot wide when Asami laid the white hot blade on his back, scorching the skin. Akihito screamed on last time and lighting tore across the sky. His body arched, jerking and twisting to get away from the fire. The pain of his seared flesh was so intense he didn’t even feel his shoulder pop out of its socket as he spasmed, fading finally into oblivion. The smell of burnt flesh was heavy in the air.

Asami knew the moment he passed out, but he did not hesitate to do what needed to be done. He carefully touched the blade to the back of the other shoulder blade, pressing lightly, just enough to sear the skin closed, cauterize the wound, but not enough to cook the muscle underneath. The slender body jerked in pain, but he did not cry out again. Asami caught him around the waist, holding him against his own body as he unhooked the cuffs holding his wrists. He held the small body carefully, carrying Akihito from the torture chamber. His face was dark, impassive, it gave away nothing. But the room he carried Akihito’s body to, said everything.

Several warm baths had been prepared, blocks of ice, ointment, strips of cloth and a soft white bed. He leaned over and gently, carefully lowered the fragile body into the first bath, lifting him back out just as slowly. The water was left behind, red with blood. The water of the second bath turned pink. In the third bath, he let him go all the way to the bottom, hesitating for a moment before letting the beautiful face slip underneath the water. He only let him stay under for a moment before bring him back out, turning and laying him gently, so gently onto the bed. Asami positioned him carefully, lying face down, but carefully making sure Aki’s head was turned to the side so he could breath, not buried in the covers. 

He stripped off his own soiled clothes before turning to the task of setting Akihito’s shoulder, his strong hands grasping the thin base of his arm and the shoulder, popping them back together with a flick of his wrist. The boy groaned in pain and Asami’s sharp yellow eyes watched carefully for signs of awakening. Seeing none, he proceeded to care for the damage his hands had caused. This time his rough hands moved ever so gently, carefully, as if handling a precious doll that had been broken and he was trying to put it back together. He dried him slowly, stroking him tenderly, caressing every inch of skin, worshipfully as if he were trying to memorize the way it felt under his fingertips. Placing ice on his already swelling shoulder and wrists, bandaging the cuts after applying a medicinal poultice. He applied a different poultice to the angry red burns on his ivory back and then bandaging them carefully too. He tenderly rolled Akihito on his back, sliding several pillows behind him to prop him up so he could breathe easier.

Asami sat on the bed next to him for a long time just watching the small chest rise and fall. He ran his hand up the back of the slender white neck, pausing at the nape and threading his fingers in the fine, soft silver hair. He ran his thumb over the boys full pink lips and they twitched, as if trying to suckle Asami’s finger. For the first time, his face dropped the mask, shattering into a thousand tiny pieces. His teeth bared in a silent cry and he buried his face in Akihito’s hair, strong shoulders shaking. Breathing in his sweet clean scent. The smell of passion and lost innocence and HOME. He stayed like that for a long, long time. The massive dark warrior curled around the tiny, fragile sleeping boy. When he finally lifted his head, the mask was back in place. He moved to the large chair placed next to the bed, his large weight dropping into it in exhaustion, as if his strings had been cut too. His eyes did not close though. Those burning eyes continued to keep vigil into the night. 

The storm had passed, the clouds moved on and all that was left was the still quiet of the night.

Outside the moon was shining, on two figures as they left the castle silently, a rare blonde haired Falcon carrying a small figure wrapped tightly in a dark blanket, ebony hair trailing out behind. The moonlight shone through the barred window of the dungeon cell, now so silent and still. It shone on the castle gardens, neglected and abandoned, on the dead and the withered, the rot and the waste. And it shone on the grey, gnarled oak tree leaning over a single tiny rosebush that grew amidst the dead. It still in full bloom, the branches bending over from the heavy weight of them, the rose petals blood red in the moonlight.

-


	37. Things We Lost In The Fire

 

  
_Things we lost to the flames_   
_Things we'll never see again_   
_All that we've amassed_   
_Sits before us, shattered into ash_   
  
_I was the match and you were the rock_   
_Maybe we started this fire_   
_We sat apart and watched_   
_All we had, burned on the pyre_   
  
_Flames, they licked the walls_   
_Tenderly, they turned to dust all that I adored_   
  
_You said we were born with nothing_   
_Well, we sure as hell have nothing now_   
  


 


	38. Chapter 38

Mikhail only felt a pinch of guilt as he watched Fei Long’s gorgeous eyes close, the drugged wine slipping from his hand and spilling across the floor as he slumped down in the bed, his head going back, his hair spilling on the floor, his gorgeous neck and white throat exposed. Mikhail wanted to kiss it, lick him and see him shiver from the sensation. The ONLY thing that stopped him from giving into the strong impulse was the sense of urgency. Asami was fully occupied in the dungeon with Akihito now. Mikhail had heard the screams himself, but knew... he might not be there long. 

He couldn’t save Fei’s brother, but he’d be damned if he let this beautiful creature fall to the same fate. He checked his bandages, before lifting the slim form, dressing him in warmer pants and a few layers on top. He was proud of himself, he only peeked a little....copped a just feel once… well, maybe twice. He slipped the tiny feet into the smallest boots he had been able to find. They were still hopelessly large, he laced them as tight as he could before wrapping him in a dark blanket and lifting Fei into his arms. He slipped through the back passages of the castle and out the wine cellar door. 

Mikhail slipped through the garden sticking to the shadows, he moved to a crouch in the darkest corner. He waited until the moon was covered in clouds before springing into the air, his strong thigh muscles propelling him into the air until his giant wings took over, driving the two of them fast and far from the castle, aiming for the eastern woods. No one knew them better than he did.

He knew he was taking his life in his hands by taking Fei Long from his brother’s grasp, but somehow he couldn’t find it within himself to care. For the first time, Mikhail had found something he valued more than his own life. He flew as fast as he could with the additional awkward weight in his muscular arms, kept looking over his shoulder. No one was following. No alarms had been raised. He had a vague idea of where he was going. A cave he had slept in once, the opening to a series of caverns that he had found only by accident. He had been out hunting, far from the castle, where the game was still plentiful and a sudden storm had come up. He had entered the cave, staying near the entrance at first but as his eyes had adjusted he had realized that it went on and on, deeper into the earth. Mikhail had made a torch with his shirt and some alcohol (so sue him, he always carried a little) and explored them for hours. 

Even if Asami formed a search party and by sheer luck, they found the cave - any sound made at the entrance would carry deep inside and Mikhail would hear them coming, there were many exits. It was the perfect place to hide Fei Long until he could figure out where to go next.

Hours later, his wings were tired and he had to circle for a while before he found where he wanted to land. Like all Falcons, his night vision was excellent and he made his way deep inside the cave before finding a smooth surface on which he could place Fei Long. He put down his precious cargo gently before going back out to collect firewood and coming back as quickly as he could.

He stacked it in a pile, ready to light and then pulled a bottle of water and a rolled tatami mat from his pack. He laid down with his back propped up slightly by a rolled up blanket and reached out to pull Fei Long into his arms. For one, he just wanted Fei there in his lap, sleeping so sweetly, but also, he had heard that Oscines didn’t have the best day vision, much less night vision. They weren’t built like predator birds. So when he woke up, he would be completely blind in the dark.

It would be terrifying if he woke up alone, drugged and disoriented. No, Fei would wake up in Mikhail’s strong arms, where he belonged, safe and sound. Mikhail would comfort him and hold him tight as he trembled, then he would light the fire so Fei wouldn’t be scared anymore. And then Mikhail would explain everything, how he had saved him. His hands slipped below Fei Long’s shirt, stroking the soft skin of the beautiful boy’s back and bottom. He smiled as he drifted off to a weary sleep, picturing a grateful Fei Long, his beautiful eyes looking up at his hero, Mikhail, with adoration. The young blond Falcon sighed happily to himself.

-

_Author's note: Mikhail is the son of the Falcon Queen who cheated with her bodyguard. Fei is the son of Akihito's mother and the Falcon King who raped her. They are both related to Asami, but not to each other._


	39. Chapter 39

Fei Long awoke with a start. Large warm hands were squeezing his butt. Skin on skin. And a thick hard something was pressing into his belly. He was laying on TOP of someone, a very muscular, very aroused someone. He frowned. Mikhail. That hot blond bastard. He remembered now. He was NEVER going to drink ANYTHING Mikhail ever handed him again. He had to admit the man was scorchingly hot…but he was also a lecher. Constantly leering at Fei Long, touching him and trying to kiss Fei Long when he wasn’t looking. He had gotten him once or twice too. His lips had tingled for hours from those kisses. Mikhail's had too he was sure, granted for a different reason, seeing as how Fei Long had followed them up with his mean right hook.

He WASN’T a girl. If anything, Fei Long was the one used to doing all the wooing. Oscine girls fell at his feet and until he had come to this place, he had been the tallest, most muscular guy around.

Mikhail made him feel like a midget and it really pissed him off. Especially when he treated him like a girl to boot. He was nice enough, funny as hell and he protected him from that horrid king of his, so he wasn’t all bad. If he could just get it through his thick head that Fei Long wasn’t some chick to be seduced. 

Belatedly, Fei realized his own body was starting to react to Mikhail’s warm hands resting, cupping his bottom. His eyes flew open. Wherever they were, it was pitch black. He couldn’t see anything. He closed his eyes again and focused, since he was a child, he hadn’t needed to be able to see, to know where everything was. Part of his powers, Akihito had told him. He could see things that were and WEREN’T there, which in the dark was everything. 

Akihito said he could only do it sometimes, but Fei only had the powers of the Void so his were more powerful, less in control though. He slid carefully off Mikhail’s large muscular body, the big man’s breathing was still slow and easy. Fei Long already knew that he slept like the dead. He had slept in Fei Long’s cell every single night. He always tried to get in bed with him, but Fei Long always pushed him back down on the floor…. which is where Mikhail would stay, that is, until Fei Long fell asleep. Then every damn morning, he would wake up with Mikhail draped over him like a blanket. The big horny idiot didn’t have any comprehension of the word ‘No’.

He stood and hitched up his pants that Mikhail had pushed down in the back. He concentrated, focusing hard. They were in a cave, deep underground. He took careful, but confident steps towards the exit. Nature was calling, and she was being very insistent. The closer he got to the mouth of the cave, the less he needed his powers, his eyes adjusting to the bright sun of mid-morning. He took a few cautious steps out into the surrounding woods. He put out feelers, but he couldn't sense anyone else for miles. He had absolutely no idea where he was. 

Why in the world had Mikhail drugged him, taken him from the castle to the middle of nowhere? He would have to ask the big lug when he woke up. At the very least, it was a relief to be out of the shackles he had been forced to wear the last few days. His wrists still felt sore and heavy. He rubbed them unconsciously. It had been a pain to put up with them, especially since he could have gotten out of them anytime he wanted to. But there was no telling what Mikhail’s older brother would have done to Mikhail or Kirishima if he had shown up and Fei wasn’t wearing them…. he had to admit the Falcon King fucking scared the shit out of him.

He stretched after relieving himself in the bushes. He was feeling gritty, hot and sweaty under all these layers. He began to peel them off while making his way to the lake he sensed was just a beyond the edge of trees. Jesus, how many shirts had Mikhail put on him anyways? It hadn't been THAT cold last night. He flushed a little at the idea of Mikhail dressing his unconscious body. He knew the man well enough to know his hands would have done some….exploring…… He was finally topless after he pulled off the sixth top, then shimmied out of the two pairs of pants and boots. He looked behind him, Mikhail would still be sleeping, and he had better make this quick because once Mikhail woke up, lord knows he wouldn’t have a moment of privacy.

He dove gracefully into the water, his stunning white wings shimmering in the sun, even the one still strapped down to prevent movement while his bones healed. He stayed under as long as he could, swimming underwater to a deeper part of the pool and then he stood, it was only a little over his nipples. It was fucking cold. He dipped his hair back, rinsing it of the oils of the past few days. He hadn’t had a chance to have a proper bath and he really hated it when his hair wasn’t clean. He ducked his head a few times and then came up with his head back, his long hair trailing back in the water. He floated on his back for a while before the cold started to get to him. His whole body was covered in goosebumps. He walked slowly to closer to the shore, where the water only came up to mid-thigh and began to wring the water out of his hair. 

The warm sun felt hot and fantastic on his chilled, naked skin, he bent down and cupped his hands, bringing op the cold water to drizzle it over his skin. The cold droplets ran down his pale chest, his puckered nipples, his trim waist and disappeared into the junction of his thighs. His eyes were closed, enjoying the moment and so he didn’t notice the hot blue eyes fixed on his pale, perfect skin.

Long lashes fluttered open, then wide with shock. He crouched down low in the water to hide his privates and brought his arms to cover his nipples. Then he dropped them abruptly. He was a MAN, not a fucking girl. There was nothing to hide.

“MIKHAIL! DAMN IT, How long have you been standing there??!”

The giant blond Falcon stood, his arms crossed, propped against a tree. Fei Long’s pants were dangling from his fingertip. Fei’s aquamarine eyes narrowed.

“Pretty much since you jumped in, I heard the splash.” He grinned, white teeth flashing. His blue eyes were intensely focused on Fei’s exposed flesh. It make his skin tingle….. CRAWL, he meant CRAWL… not tingle dammit….

Mikhail followed with, “Looks cold, why don’t you come out and let me help you warm up?” There was an obvious bulge in his pants and he wasn’t even trying to hide it. It was huge. Fei flushed and ground his teeth. What was with this guy?

“Turn around, put my pants down and maybe I’ll think about it,” Fei called back.

Mikhail laughed, it was a filthy sounding laugh and it made Fei’s toes curl. He definitely wasn’t coming out the water now. He was sporting his own erection now. He briefly wondered if being a pervert was contagious. If it was, he definitely knew who he had caught it from. His eyes sparked angrily at Mikhail. If looks could kill.

“I mean it Mikhail! I am not coming out with you standing there!”

“Ok, ok fine, What if I just cover my eyes?” Mikhail’s eyes sparkled with amusement before he covered them with one of his massive hands. Fei Long knew exactly what he was gonna do, as soon as he got out of the water, he would drop that hand and his eyes would devour Fei’s naked flesh. He sneered inside, Mikhail really hadn’t seen what he could do yet.

He decided to play dumb, called back sweetly, “I’m coming out now, DON’T PEEK!”

“I wooooon’t!” 

As if Fei couldn’t see his obviously crossed fingers. Hmmph. He’d show him.

He shadowwalked. His pale figure blinking out, reappearing next to Mikhail for the briefest of seconds, snagging his pants and then reappearing with them on. He leaned against a tree a few paces to the side of Mikhail and imitated him, standing with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Mikhail moved pulled his hand away from his eyes as soon as the pants were taken from his finger, expecting to see Fei still naked in the water and then flicked to Fei standing next to him with his pants on. His eyes flicked back a forth a second time, the confusion on his face making Fei deliriously happy.

“How….did you?” He stammered.

Fei smiled, this was too fun, ruffling Mikhail’s feathers for once. “You don’t know much about the Ocatrices do you?”

“Apparently not. Have you been able to do that all along?” Mikhail’s eyebrows were nearly at his hairline. Fei nodded smugly.

“Show me again” he said eagerly. Fei Long obliged him, winking out and reappearing about 10 feet behind him. He whirled around, his mouth slightly open.

“Is that how you got out of the cave without me?” he asked curiously. 

“No, I walked out like normal.”

“How could you see? I thought Oscines had poor night vision….”

He mocked him, “What? Were you disappointed that I wasn’t frightened, clinging to you helplessly in the dark?”

Mikhail’s voice was smooth as silk, without a hinting of teasing, “Someday Fei, you WILL cling to me in the dark.” 

Somehow that was much worse for Fei’s composure, which was slipping. Fei’s eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat, it was embarrassing how red his face got. Mikhail smirked and then suddenly frowned.

“So if you’ve been able to do that all along, why did you stay in the cell? Let us chain you up?”

“I was waiting for my brother to show up and it seemed like as good a place as any. Plus I was being considerate. I didn’t want to get you or Kirishima in trouble with the king”

Mikhail’s frowned deepened, “Can you brother do that too?” Mikhail realized that if Akihito had the same powers, they might not be too late to save him as well.

Fei Long nodded.

“We need to get back to the castle now,” Mikhail said abruptly

Fei Long looked at him sideways, curiously, “Why did you take me away from the castle anyway?”

Mikhail explained what had happened, how his brother had shown up and what the king was going to do to him. How the Falcons punished traitors by cutting off their wings. The screams he had heard coming from the dungeon and how he had decided to save Fei Long by taking him away from the castle. Mikhail watched for Fei’s reaction. Fear for his brother, gratitude to Mikhail for saving him maybe, but he got nothing, nothing but confusion. They were both silent for a long moment. The lovely eyebrows were creased in concentration. Fei finally responded when he felt Mikhail’s questioning eyes on him.

“I’m sorry, I was just wondering why Akihito would let himself be chained and taken to the dungeon. If the king DID do something to him, Akihito would have had to allow it. He is much more powerful than I am. He could kill the King in a heartbeat, if he wanted to. Vanish into thin air. Burn the castle to the ground. Whatever Asami did to him, Akihito let him do it. So I’m just wondering why.”

Mikhail’s eyes widened even further in amazement, “Can you transport us back into the castle?”

Fei Long shook his head, “No, I can only manage short distances. The longer I try for, the worse my control becomes. My aim is complete shit over more than 10 feet or so. Plus I have no idea where we are.”

Mikhail stretched his large wings, they were massive. A big grin on his face. “Flying it is, don't worry baby, I'll be happy to carry you”

Fei Long glowered at him, his wing was still in no condition to fly with, he muttered unhappily, “We COULD just walk...”

Mikhail smiled condescendingly and Fei bristled at it, "Way too far darlin, let me go grab my pack and we’ll leave right now. Don't worry gorgeous, I won't drop you, I'll hold you real tight, I promise… ” His voice trailed off as he disappeared back into cave mouth, throwing a wink back at Fei's flustered face.

Fei Long couldn’t stand letting him get the last word, his voice came out a little higher than he would have liked as he yelled back, “ You can keep your hands to yourself and DON’T EVEN THINK I’VE FORGOTTEN THAT YOU DRUGGED ME!!!”

His hands were fisted at his side in frustration , this was going to be hell. He was well familiar with Mikhail's wandering hands.

-

http://www.mangahere.co/manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/v06/c035.3/13.html


	40. Chapter 40

Mikhail landed far, far away from the castle. It was little more than a speck on the horizon when he stopped, but better safe than sorry. He was pretty winded, but he refused to show it in front of Fei. Those beautiful eyes were fighting mad, glaring up at him through those long lashes. God, he was gorgeous when he was pissed. He didn’t know why Fei was SO mad. Ok, so Mikhail might have rubbed Fei’s bottom while he carried him, might have squeezed him a little tighter than necessary. And maybe he might have licked Fei’s neck when Fei wasn’t looking. And kissed him.

Only once or twice. And MAYBE, he MIGHT have dropped out of the air too fast, just to see if those slender arms would grab his neck. They did. He grinned. Once they were on the ground, Fei punched him in the shoulder. Hard. He let the squirming, thrashing body down, reluctantly, sliding him down his own muscular chest so they rubbed together for as long as possible.

“YOU ASSHOLE!” Fei’s pretty lips shouted, shoving himself backwards away from Mikhail with both arms. His cheeks were pink and flushed.

Mikhail grinned happily, then, trying to look as innocent as possible. “What?”

“YOU!!!...YOU….YOU….GAAAAAHHH!!!” Fei threw up his hands and walked away. He turned his back to Mikhail.

Mikhail called after him, “Where are you going?” 

“I have to take a piss,” Fei spat back at him.

Mikhail’s cock stirred in his pants. He loved it when that beautiful mouth said dirty things. He wanted to hear him say more dirty things. He took one step to follow before Fei Long whirled around and held up his hand. “And NO you may not WATCH, you pervert!”

Mikhail’s wasn’t listening, his eyes were taking in the slight bulge visible through Fei Long’s pants. He didn’t respond to the muttered insults as he stalked into the bushes. He grinned wickedly, Fei was not as immune to his charms as he would have Mikhail believe. He adjusted his pack and waiting for Fei to come out of the bushes. When he finally did, Mikhail was disappointed to see a definitive lack of bulge in the front of his pants. 

Fei Long noted the direction of his stare with exasperation, “You really have a one track mind you know that?”

Mikhail grinned, finally lifting his gaze back to Fei’s pretty eyes, “Only when it comes to you love. Now, unless you would like to burn off some steam, I suggest we get a move on if we are going to make the castle by night fall.

“Wait….we are walking the rest of the way?”

Mikhail raised his eyebrows at Fei, “You got a better idea? Its day, if we get fly much closer than this, we’ll be spotted for sure.”

Fei sighed. This was going to be a long day.

-

For the first few hours, he slapped Mikhail’s hands away when they came up to help him over a tree limbs or down from ledges. He wasn't a girl. But per usual, Mikhail was undaunted, he didn’t stop offering and after a while Fei Long was grateful for the help, the strong hands that helped support his weight. It was rough, rugged terrain and Fei’s legs were much shorter than Mikhail’s. It had been about five hours and his calves were burning. He sat down bodily, wiping his brow of the sweat that was collecting there. He was embarrassed, knew he must look gross. He glared at Mikhail as the large blond Falcon came to crouch in front of him, looking down at Fei with concern in his eyes. Asshole. He even looked good covered in sweat. Better actually. Fucker.

Mikhail laid down the heavy pack he was carrying, opened it up and unscrewed the top of the water jar, there was hardly any left.

Fei Long looked at him questioningly, “Don’t you want some? You haven’t had any this whole time.”

Mikhail shook his head, “I’m fine, I was saving it for you.”

His mouth dropped open in shock. He stammered, “Mikhail, please you have to drink some too..”

Mikhail shook his head, “I’m fine honest, I’ve been thirstier than this before and anyway its only a few more hours before nightfall, we’ll be at the castle soon. You take it Fei, honest, I don’t mind.”

Aquamarine eyes narrowed and he drank the last sip of water greedily, before grabbing Mikhail’s startled face and pressing his lips to the other man’s. 

Mikhail’s mouth was open in surprise and Fei drizzled the water into it, using his tongue to force it into his mouth, frenching him deeply in the process. Mikhail coughed at the intrusion and swallowed the water. Mission complete. Fei drew back and look at him through a smirk. His handsome jaw was somewhere near the ground, his blue eyes open wide.

He grinned at Mikhail, “That’s a good look on you.” He hopped to his feet, suddenly feeling invigorated. “Ready?”

He had walked several meters away before Mikhail pulled himself together and came following close behind.

-

“This is absurd, I just snuck you OUT of the castle, and here I am trying to sneak you back IN!” 

“Well that will teach you not to DRUG people, won’t it?” whispered Fei back, somewhat snidely. 

“Why are we whispering?” Mikhail looked at him quizzically.

“I don’t know,” said Fei in a normal voice.

They were standing back in a clump of trees, hidden in the shadows. It was getting dark, but it wasn’t night yet.

Fei looked back to Mikhail, “Should we wait?”

“Definitely, but even still, I'm not sure it will help, Falcons can see well, even in nearly pitch black and the moon is out tonight. There’s always at least a dozen or so posted on the walls. It’s a helluva lot easier to get OUT of the castle than back in.” Mikhail sighed heavily, “Asami is going to have my head.”

Fei frowned at that. He beginning to rather like Mikhail's head where it was. Even if it was quite empty between the ears. He squinted in the low light. The castle was at least a few hundred feet away. His aim was terrible at that distance, but he could get them close. And then, wherever they ended up, he could pop them closer on the second go, right up to the castle wall and then inside on the third try. He would have to be quick when they popped up in the open, the Falcon sentries were sure to see them if they lingered for more than a second or two. He decided to pitch his idea to Mikhail.

Mikhail thought for a moment, but eventually they decided it was the best way for them to get back without being spotted. And once inside, they would find Akihito. They waited until it got darker. Fei took Mikhail’s hand and closed his eyes in concentration. He jumped when he felt the strong arms wrap around him instead.

“What are you doing?!” he hissed in surprise. 

“Smaller target.”

Fei could feel the filthy smile in his voice, but he decided Mikhail was right. And being in his arms didn’t bother Fei as much as it should have, so he squeezed him back and shadowwalked them as close as he could. They popped up about 20 feet from the castle wall and right in front of one of the guards. He was looking the other way. Fei gasped and they blinked out, appearing just under the wall. The guards wouldn’t see them unless they leaned out and looked straight down.

He looked up at Mikhail with a hint of fear in his eyes and whispered frantically, “Where do we go now? I don’t know what’s on the other side of this wall!”

Mikhail rubbed his shoulders with his big warm hands and Fei felt his fear fade away. “It’s ok, just on the other side of this wall is the old garden. We’re in the perfect spot. Just go ten feet in. Ok? Just ten feet. You’ve got this.”

He gave Fei a big squeeze and Fei shadowwalked them inside. They were inside a garden and as soon as they felt solid ground under their feet, Mikhail scooped him up and sprinted with Fei in his arms to the darkest corner, they slunk around the edges of the castle from there, until they got near the dungeon windows. Akihito was easy to find. There was only one cell with candlelight coming through the windows. They crouched low and looked in, Mikhail covering Fei’s back, keeping one eye behind them.

-


	41. Chapter 41

The cell was lit with candlelight and a fire in the pitiful excuse for a hearth. The giant Falcon King was looming over Akihito’s pale form. His brother was lying still on the bed on his back. Aki’s lashes were closed, his cheeks seemed a little pale. He looked like he was sleeping. Fei watched wide eyed as the king pulled the blankets off his brother’s naked body. He sat down near his brother’s feet and used his large hands to slide the slender white thighs wide apart, reaching up in between. 

Fei saw RED, his teeth baring, moving to throw himself into the room and tear the king limb from limb. He was going castrate that giant pervert. With his goddamned teeth if he had to! Mikhail saw the movement, grabbing him around the waist and clapping his hand over Fei’s mouth. Fei thrashed, fighting Mikhail’s hold until the blond man whispered in his ear, “Its not what you think…”

The king was holding Akihito’s penis! He glared at Mikhail, flicking his eyes into the cell, speaking with his eyes, how was this not what he thought it was?!

Then he watched him place a small shallow dish underneath Akihito’s crotch and began massaging his lower abdomen. Pressing and rolling his hands down gently, until Akihito moaned and released, voiding his bladder into the dish. The king held the pressure on his stomach until the liquid stopped, then he lifted his hands. Removing the bowl from underneath and wiping him carefully with a towel, he closed Akihito’s legs and covered them again with the blanket, rubbing them lightly to create warmth with his big hands, squeezing his feet gently to stimulate circulation.

He then turned toward the window, moving to dispose of the bowl, Mikhail and Fei ducked back out of sight. A few moments later they peeked back in, the king was sitting next to and slightly behind Akihito on the bed, supporting the unconscious boy’s back so that he was propped upright, the silver blond head on his shoulder, tilting it slightly back. He was occupied, carefully spooning tiny amounts of what looked like beef broth into Aki’s mouth, patiently making sure he swallowed it before repeating. He was so careful to make sure Akihito didn’t choke in his sleep, wiping his mouth when he dribbled. He showed such incredible patience and tenderness at his task that both Fei and Mikhail found themselves staring open mouthed into the small cell.

All the years Mikhail had known him, he had never so much as glimpsed this side of him. Would have rolled on the ground laughing if someone had told him that they saw the king taking care of someone’s most intimate needs for them and with such obvious care. Vicious, unpredictable, ruthless, barbaric, yes, that was Asami, through and through. But this? Tender, loving, gentle... Not in a million years. Whatever might have happened last night, Akihito was obviously not in any immediate danger from the king. Fei and Mikhail’s gaze met, twin questions in their eyes.

-

From the moment, he carried Akihito’s bloody, helpless body into it, Asami did not leave the cell; not for a single moment, not to sleep, not to eat. His whole world was in that cell. The hell with the rest of it. He never even realized Mikhail and Fei were gone. Wouldn’t have cared, even if he did. His whole world had been reduced to that thin body on the white bed. The one he had been looking for, for the past seventeen years, for his entire life. The only thing that mattered to him was the slender chest rising and falling slowly and how to keep it that way. Aki had lost blood, a lot of blood, before he had been able to cauterize the wound. His heart rate was fast, faster than it should have been, pumping hard to keep the lower volume circulating until the small body could make more. 

Asami took his pulse every hour on the hour, counting, waiting, watching. The only one allowed inside the room besides Asami was Kirishima. But even he was not allowed to touch Akihito. Asami allowed him to give instructions, how to feed him, hydrate him, put fluids in, let fluids out. Solid foods were impossible, but he spooned broth into his mouth, bit by bit. Keeping him upright to help him swallow, palpating his tight little tummy to see when his bladder was full and then gently releasing it so he could feed him more fluids. Every move he made was gentle, so careful. And his efforts were rewarded. The fluttering in Akihito’s neck and wrists slowly became a rhythmic pump. Slow and steady.

His golden eyes never left Akihito’s face. The small boy’s sleep became less fitful, the movement under his eyelids stilled. His breath deepened and slowed. And still, Asami watched, waited, his vigil unbroken, his eyes hungry, his hands restless. Every so often, he seemed to give in to his need and they roamed over Akihito’s motionless body, tracing his curves and his edges with longing and desperation. His eyes were hungry. So hungry.

-


	42. Flaws

 

_There's a hole in my soul_   
_I can't fill it I can't fill it_   
_There's a hole in my soul_   
_Can you fill it? Can you fill it?_   
  
_You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve_   
_And I have always buried them deep beneath the ground_   
_Dig them up; let's finish what we've started_   
_Dig them up, so nothing's left unturned_   
  
_All of your flaws and all of my flaws,_   
_When they have been exhumed_   
_We'll see that we need them to be who we are_   
_Without them we'd be doomed_   
  
_You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve_   
_And I have always buried them deep beneath the ground_   
_Dig them up; let's finish what we've started_   
_Dig them up, so nothing's left unturned_

 

 


	43. Chapter 43

The shackles were beautiful, golden and delicate. The edges rounded like bracelets. The chains tinkled like jewelry. The king slipped them around Akihito’s slender ankles and wrists. The swelling was nearly gone, only faint purple bruises remained. He checked the fit, making sure they were smooth, allowed movement and wouldn’t chafe his tender skin. He would be wearing them for a very, very long time. The anklets were attached to one another with a thin golden chain; it would allow him to walk, but not run. The same length chain connected the wrists to each other behind his back, keeping his hands pointed at the ground. He could move enough to take care of his personal needs, but it would be difficult. He would not be able to bring his hands up in front of him. 

Asami locked the shackles without hesitation, they clicked together with finality. It was only when he placed the last piece of Akihito’s bondage that he hesitated. It was a beautiful jeweled collar, a slender ring of gold with an aquamarine stone in the center. It matched his eyes. So like another ring Asami had given him, so long ago. 

The king frowned. It was another lifetime. THIS was the ring Akihito deserved now. What his actions had brought upon himself. A slave’s collar. He placed it around Akihito's slender neck and locked it into place. It was slightly bigger than Asami had anticipated, falling to rest at his throat, covering the pulsing beat Asami had been watching for the last few days.

His heart beat steadily now. Aki’s cheeks were pink and rosy. His breathing easy. He was sleeping naturally and would be waking up soon. Asami wanted him to wake up in his chains, in his new reality. Taking his wings was only part of the message. The rest of it was the chains and the key that hung around Asami's neck. 

It hung just above his heart, on a chain that matched the Songbird's.

-

He came awake slowly, his mind foggy. Oh his back. It burned. He moaned in pain, frowning. He arched upwards, trying to take the weight off of it. It burned even more when he moved and his eyes opened with a gasp as he tried to sit up. The pain was immediately forgotten as his wide blue eyes met narrowed golden ones. Asami stood at the foot of his bed. His intimidatingly broad shoulders blocking out the sun behind him, his massive arms folded, his black eyebrows drawn low. Akihito shrank back in terror, memories of the other night rushing back to him. Akihito gasped as he remembered. His wings. His beautiful white wings. It was a nightmare, please. Asami couldn’t have really, wouldn’t have…but the burning in his shoulder-blades told Akihito differently, the loss of that familiar weight. He lifted his hands to reach behind his back to check. They couldn’t really be gone. They couldn't be... His wrists stopped almost immediately, he couldn’t move them past his sides. He looked down in fright. Golden shackles were around his wrists attached to a chain that ran behind his lower back. Akihito tugged experimentally on them, but it was no use.

He looked back up at Asami, trembling in fear now. It was a miracle he wasn’t dead. Had Asami decided that taking his wings wasn’t punishment enough for killing his father? Was he going to torture him more? That could be the only reason he was still alive. There was no love in those ruthless yellow eyes. It terrified him, how cold they were, how much like his father’s they looked. His eyes were full of questions that he was too afraid to speak but Asami could read him like a book.

“Wondering why you are still alive Akihito?”

Akihito nodded his head jerkily, almost too afraid to breathe as Asami leaned down over him, planting his massive fists on either side of his small body. He was so, so big and so very strong. There had been a time when that made Akihito feel safe. Not now. Not with that terrible coldness in his eyes.

“As if I would let you escape from me so easily. Oh no, my little Songbird, you’ll never fly away from me again. I’ve made sure of that. You’re mine now and I’ll make sure you stay put this time. Make sure you pay your traitor’s debt every fucking day for the rest of your very, VERY long life.”

He began to run his hand up Akihito’s leg under the covers and Aki jerked it away from his touch. Curling into a ball with his back pressed against the headboard. Asami’s yellow eyes were filled with anger and rage, but what terrified Aki the most was the despair and the hatred written on his handsome face, twisting it into an ugly mask. Akihito closed his eyes in fear against it as Asami moved to grab ahold of him. His large fingers almost felt gentle as they threaded into his hair, but the small blond winced in anticipation of what he already knew was coming next.

Asami jerked his head back painfully. The enormous warrior held the boy by his blond hair with one brutal hand, the other squeezing his jaw painfully.

He could feel his hot breath as the King snarled into his face. “Next time you pull away from me, I will make sure you regret it dearly Akihito. You don’t have the right to choose anymore, slave. You continue to breath for one reason and one reason alone, to serve your Master.”

“Why don’t you just kill me and get it over with?” Akihito whispered hoarsely through his clenched jaw, unable to speak properly because of Asami’s painful grip on his face. His eyes still squeezed tightly closed in fear.

“Not until you suffer as I have suffered.” Aki’s eyes flew open as Asami’s brutal lips crushed against his mouth in a painful bruising kiss. It would have slammed Aki’s head against the headboard if the King’s hand hadn’t been behind it, his fingers still digging into Akihito’s scalp. There was no tenderness in the kiss; it was meant to hurt, to dominate and intimidate. 

The King ripped the covers off his body, exposing his naked flesh. Akihito squirmed and struggled, helpless to defend himself against it with his wrists and ankles chained the way they were. The King pressed his tongue insistently against Aki's teeth, his strong hand trying to force Akihito’s jaw down and open. Tears flowed from the boy's sad blue eyes. He couldn’t breathe and as it became more and more forceful; Akihito panicked, not thinking of the consequences as he bit down on the King’s lower lip defensively, drawing blood.

He screamed in terror as the King drew back, the whites of his eyes visible in his rage. Mindless fury, preparing to rein down punishment on his delicate, vulnerable body. Asami’s enormous fist pulled back preparing to strike him. The tiny Songbird cowered helplessly and waiting for the beating to begin, tucking his head down and turning his naked back towards the Falcon King. The red burns stood out starkly against the pale delicate flesh of his back. One of the wounds opening a bit from his struggles. A single blood red tear was slowly climbing its way down the fragile ladder of Akihito’s ribs. 

He waited in helpless terror but the strike never landed. When Akihito finally opened his eyes to look; the cell was empty and he was alone.

-


	44. Chapter 44

It wasn't cold in his cell, but Akihito couldn't stop shaking. His eyes were burning, his chest heaving, gulping in air.

For seventeen years, he had been lost, trying to find his way home. Home to his mate. Seventeen years, he had missed Ryu. Seventeen years, he had been dreaming of coming back. Oh, he was realistic enough to know that Asami would not welcome him back with open arms, not after what he did. That he would be angry and cold and harsh. But he had imagined it so many times, played it out in his head, in his fantasies. How Asami would be angry with him, but Akihito would confess and explain why, what happened, how he would beg for forgiveness and then Ryu would take him in his arms and hold him. Forgive him and love him as he had so many years ago.

Oh, but now he saw that it was impossible. Utterly impossible. Any love Asami had had for him had turned to hate long ago. He hadn’t just killed the king all those years ago, he had killed Ryu too. 

The cold truth was sinking in, turning Akihito's bones to ice. Asami had cut off his wings. The words were screaming in his head. ASAMI CUT OFF HIS WINGS... Akihito bent double, sobs of despair wracking his small body. Tears streamed down his face and dripped down onto his chest. But he was helpless to wipe them away.

He started when he felt gentle hands wiping his cheeks, slender arms carefully wrapping around his shuddering body. His red, swollen eyes cracking open slightly to see Fei. A mixture of sorrow and horror on his beautiful face. He collapsed against his younger, but larger brother and let the other Songbird hold him until his sobs quieted. Fei's gentle fingers stroked his hair and his back, holding him, rocking him slowly.

His voice was sad and quiet when he finally spoke, "Why Nii-chan? Why did you let him do that to you?"

Akihito shook his head, "I didn't know... I thought... I thought he would stop, I didn't think he could go through with it. Didn’t think that he would really..... I wanted to let him punish me, because I thought maybe, maybe once it was done.... he would forgive me."

He began panting again, trying to breathe between the wracking sobs that shook his slender body again, his voice trembling hysterically, "He cut off my wings Fei! He cut off my wings!"

Fei shook him a little, trying to break him out of the shock and panic that was beginning to set in. "Let's go, Ani, shadowwalk out of those chains. I know you can do it. Then we'll go, you can send us anywhere. We'll just go. Far, far away from this place. And then between the two of us, we'll find our way home. We'll go back to the Songbirds and never come here again. Ok Aki? Ok?"

Akihito froze, his eyes wide and unseeing. The only motion was the ever so slight trembling of his lips as they pressed tightly together, white at the corners.

Fei moved in closer, trying to make eye contact with him. "C'mon Aki, lets go now, ok?"

The thought of going now. Of leaving Asami as he was, bitter, cold and brutal. Filled with rage and hate and despair. Alone, so alone. For the rest of his life. Was something Akihito couldn't bear. No matter what Asami had done to him. Ocatrices mate for life. That was the promise he made, the vow he gave. And it was his own fault that it hadn't been fulfilled. His own actions had turned Asami into the monster he had become. It was Aki's fault. All of it. He couldn't run away again. No matter Asami did to him. He deserved it. He WAS a murderer. A traitor. The pain, the chains, even his wings..... There was no punishment too great for the damage he had caused this world. It was time to pay the price for that one horrible moment, when he had lost control and destroyed so much. He would stay, to the end. For Asami and for himself.

Fei tapped him lightly on the cheek and Akihito finally remembered him, their eyes connecting. "Akihito, please, snap out of it. We have to go. He might come back."

Akihito shook his head. "No Fei, NO, I have to stay."

His brother's aquamarine eyes widened, but his brows pulled low in confusion and not a little anger. "WHY?!" He gasped, "Why would you stay?! Whatever it was you think you did, Akihito, I think you've paid enough!"

"No Fei, you don't understand, look outside. Do you see the wasteland this world has become? I did that. Countless Falcons starved to death because of ME. Because I lost control, I killed their king. I killed Asami’s father. And then I RAN AWAY! I ran away..."

"But Akihito you didn't mean too, you didn't even know where you were going, what you were doing. It was an accident!"

"It doesn't matter Fei. Sometimes its not about why you did something. The only thing that matters in the end, the only thing that remains is what you did. And Fei, I did this. To the Falcons and to Asami. Can't you see? I have to stay."

"WHY Aki? Why do you have to? What good will it do? It won’t change anything."

Fei was shaking his head in denial at the grim determination he saw in his beloved brother’s eyes. Akihito who was his mother, his father, his brother and yes, his king too. All in one. His everything. He wasn't leaving him here to be abused and degraded by the Falcon King.

“I have to pay for my sins Fei, I want to. Don’t you see? Maybe I can’t fix the past, but if there’s even a chance I can change the future for the Falcons, for Asami, I have to try.”

“Why would you even give a SHIT about what happens to him, after what that bastard did to you? What he’s GOING to do to you? Look at you Akihito, you’re wearing chains for God’s sake. And a collar. A FUC-“

Akihito interrupted quietly, "Because I am his. And no matter how far I run, I will always be his."

Fei drew back in horror. The sorrow on Aki’s face, the pain and the overwhelming sadness, was only outshined by the love in his eyes. Fei opened his mouth to argue, clutching Akihito’s shoulders, but both boys froze as booming footsteps approached the cell.

"GO," Akihito hissed.

"I'm not LEAVING you here..."

"Please Fei, please, trust me, please. Please just go."

Fei's eyes were narrowed in determination, locked on the cell door that was about to open, any second now. But he yielded, even as he got the last word in.

"I'm coming back for you."

Fei's body began to fade and his voice sounded very far away, echoing as he disappeared. Leaving Akihito alone again in his cell, trembling in fear as the footsteps came closer and closer.

-


	45. Chapter 45

Voices. There were fucking voices coming from Akihito's cell. Whispers so low he couldn't be sure.... but no one was to enter, his orders were clear. The only one allowed in the dungeon at all was the king himself. The thought of someone else touching him, so much as talking to him, even LOOKING at him; sent Asami into a blind rage. Akihito was HIS prisoner. No one, NO ONE was to touch him.

He threw the cell door open and the iron door crashed into the stone wall with an enormous boom, one of the hinges cracking.

Akihito was still curled up on the edge of bed, facing the door. He screamed in fright and threw himself backwards at the noise. Asami's golden eyes swept the empty cell. There was no one there. He glared suspiciously at Akihito. The suspicion almost immediately turned to hunger as he gazed on the object of a lifetime of obsession. God the lovely Songbird looked so small, so vulnerable and frightened. He was so FUCKING beautiful. His silvery blonde hair almost seemed to glow, even in the dark cell. His long black lashes open wide, with those stunning aquamarine eyes looking up at Asami. He had been crying. Akihito always looked so appealing when he cried. Those limpid watery blue eyes, the way his adorable little button nose turned pink at the tip. His cute little snuffles. Akihito's luscious pink lips trembled, his skin was like porcelain. Asami knew how soft it would be under his hands. So soft and delicate. His palms itched to touch him as he had when the boy had been asleep. He wanted to hold that lithe, delicate body in his arms. Gather him close. His muscles were practically quivering with need.

The Falcon sneered. No. Fuck this. This was how Akihito always did it. Wormed his way into Asami's guts, into his heart, into his blood and his very soul. Looking so sweet, so innocent and precious, making Asami want to love him and protect him. He was a viper underneath. Would try to run away the moment he was given the opportunity. Underneath that angelic face was a killer and a traitor and a coward. An adulterer. For the thousandth time Asami pictured him kissing the green eyed Songbird girl from all those years ago and his anger exploded again, hot white rage filling his chest. Never again. Akihito would never see her or any of the Songbirds ever again.

He snarled mockingly, "Talking to yourself little boy?" 

Aki shook his head. His eyes still so frightened. Oh fucking hell....

Asami's voice gentled just a bit as he ordered him. "Lie down on your stomach Akihito."

The boy shook his head again, blonde hair falling down into his eyes a little. A spark of stubborn fire igniting in those stunning blue depths. Asami's own vision flashed red. Defiant, STILL defiant, after everything. He strode forward and grabbed him by the neck, throwing him down face first into the pillow. Akihito squirmed and thrashed, but as always he was helpless against Asami's strength. Even more so with his hands chained the way they were. Asami held the back of his neck tightly in a show of dominance, pressing his face down into the bed until he could hardly breathe. 

He leaned forward, speaking low into the perfect pink shell of Akihito's ear, "You will learn to obey me Akihito, one way or another. There are things I could do to you, ways of hurting you that you can't even DREAM of.”

His large hands stroked down of the quivering flesh of Akihito's smooth round buttocks, squeezing them lustily right before he pressed his dry finger into Akihito's tight unused hole and began to shove forward. It was dry skin grating against dry skin. His thick finger scraping and pulling the delicate flesh as it entered his rectum. Akihito screamed in pain, jerking his hips forward against the bed, but Asami showed him no mercy, thrusting it forward until something ripped; warm wet liquid suddenly coating his finger. He withdrew it and wiped the speck of blood on the bed covers. Releasing the back of Akihito's neck so the boy could breathe again. He turned his face to the side away from Asami and let out a helpless keening wail, like the sound a wounded animal would make. Asami's guts twisted at it, but it would do them no good if he were to show weakness now. Akihito had to learn, that his disobedience would only result in pain; horrific pain, if Asami so desired.

"Will you obey me now?"

Akihito didn't respond, his delicate body starting to shake with silent sobs which Asami ignored. The little wretch would get no pity from him.

"You answer me Akihito or next time it will be my dick you little slut." He hissed in Akihito's ear, coming back over him, started to thread his fingers through that soft hair again, ready to pin him down and do whatever was necessary, to prove his dominance and extinguish that defiance for good. If Akihito made him do it.....

Aki's head nodded forward and back violently, his entire body tensing and curling as he tried to convey his submission. He was too terrified to speak, but his message came through loud and clear. 

Asami's lips curled back in a victorious smile, "Smart boy. Now hold still."

He released him and turned his attention to the leather pouch he carried, the poultice he had gone to get. Akihito's burns had opened up, cracked a little. It was important that they be kept clean and moist, to prevent infection and minimize the scarring.

Aki jumped a little as the cold cream was applied to his back, but Asami could see him struggling to obey and so he was as gentle with the wounds as he could be, lightly rubbing and massaging the medicine in over the angry looking burns on Aki's back. About two inches long and an inch wide, just above and between his shoulder blades. They were flat to his back. Would blend in well once they healed and the redness faded. Asami had been excruciating careful when he amputated Aki's wings, the stroke of his sword precise. He sliced them off at the very base so as not to leave an ugly stump. The goal to bind him, permanently, but not disfigure him. 

Once he was done applying the poultice, he took long strips of clean white fabric and wound it around Akihito's chest and back. It would protect the burns from the dry air, keep the poultice from being rubbed away. When he was done dressing the wounds on that porcelain back, he bent down spread Akihito's soft round butt cheeks apart, and peering at his little pink hole. Akihito squirmed a little, shifting and Asami could tell he wanted to jerk away. He waited to see what the boy would do, if he had learned his lesson yet. Aki whimpered a little but he held still and submitted to Asami’s touch. There was just a tiny, tiny little tear in the slightly reddened skin. Asami gently rubbed a pinch of the poultice on it. He would be a little sore tonight, but it would be better by tomorrow. He pulled his hand back, his eyes studying Akihito. His skin was cold and clammy, his lips slightly blue, still shivering. Was the dungeon cold? It didn’t feel cold to Asami, but then again Akihito was tiny compared to him. And naked.

Asami sighed heavily. The Songbird didn’t belong in this cell. “Roll over, Aki.”

Akihito trembled violently as he tried to comply, but he struggled with his hands bound. Asami took over for him, gently rolling him onto his back and wrapping him in the bed sheet, covering him from his slender shoulders to his pink toes, before hoisting him carefully in the air. His enormous arms supporting Aki under his legs and lower back, away from his burns. Akihito looked up at him surprise and bewilderment as Asami carried him out of the castle dungeon, up the stairs back to the palace. Asami didn’t look at him until his head fell down, resting limply on Asami’s strong chest. Akihito's eyes closed, his shivers disappeared. For a moment the mask dropped as Asami bent his head and inhaled that sweet scent.

For the first time, since Akihito had come back, the wild storm that had been raging outside the castle calmed. Pin dots of light breaking through the dark clouds. One tiny ray of sunshine fell on the lone rosebush, still in full bloom..

-


	46. Chapter 46

Asami didn’t go to the kings quarters. He didn’t go to any of the hundreds of rooms he could have. His footsteps led him through the halls of the palace. On and on, into the areas that were seldom used anymore. Where he was taking Akihito wasn’t a conscious choice on Asami’s. It was simply a fact. It was where Akihito belonged. Where he had always belonged. Asami had picked that room all those years ago because of the view of the garden. Akihito had always loved the garden.

He took him to their room. Their bed.

The door was closed, but not locked. The staff was under strict orders to keep it clean, but not change anything. And except for the linens, not a damn thing had been changed. It looked exactly the same as it had seventeen years ago. The clouds were still grey and turbulent through the large balcony windows. The iron bars placed over the windows seventeen years ago were still there. Although, even if they hadn't been, there was no escape for Akihito that way. Not anymore. The Songbird would never fly again.

Akihito’s skin still felt so cold. Asami laid him gently on the bed, leaning over him with a dark frown.

“Akihito.”

His eyelids fluttered open heavily, like it was nearly impossible for him to do so. He looked weak, so weak. He put his hand on Akihito’s head to check his temperature. If he had a fever, it could mean infection…. Asami sighed in relief. Aki’s forehead was cool to the touch as well. He was still recovering from his injuries and the blood loss. The boy needed food and rest. And less intimidation. He would ease up, at least for now.

His voice was low and gravelly when he spoke, “Akihito, are you cold? Would you like me to light a fire?”

“Mmhmm.”

But even as Akihito murmured in the affirmative, a fire came roaring to life in the fireplace. Asami jumped. His yellow eyes fixing back on Ocatricce’s bound wrists. He hadn’t moved them. Hadn’t raised them or pointed them towards the fireplace even once. Except when he was a boy and just coming into them, he had always seemed to channel and direct his powers through his hands. As his father had before him. Asami’s nostrils flared at the sudden suspicion. If Akihito’s powers weren’t contained by the shackles that kept his hands down to his sides, then Asami and all the Falcons were in extraordinary danger. At any moment, the Oscine could freeze them, set them all on fire, bring down tornadoes, hail, lightning, even earthquakes if he chose. Asami knew well how powerful his magic was. And likely it had only grown stronger in adulthood…. 

And yet, he looked so helpless. Utterly defenseless. Was it just a tactic to lower Asami’s guard, so he could find an opening to attack? What was his angle? If the chains weren’t holding him back, then what was he waiting for?

He stared down at the small figure lying still on the bed, their bed, for a long time before attaching Aki’s collar to the chain fastened to the headboard. The same one he had used seventeen years ago. It wasn’t golden or lightweight. It was meant to weigh the bearer down. The metal chain was thick and heavy and soldered to the bedpost. He had it placed there himself not long after the first time he had flogged Akihito; when the brutal punishment still didn’t quell the boy’s attempts to run away. It had lessened his disappearing acts, but didn’t eliminate them. Asami assumed he had learned to pick the lock somehow.

He wouldn’t be doing that with his hands shackled the way they were.

Akihito was lying on one of them. He couldn't help it; the way they were bound to his side. The metal cuff was digging into the soft skin of his waist. If he laid on his back, the chain would slip under the hollow of his lower back and it wouldn’t dig into him. But then, Akihito never slept on his back. Never had. He liked to sleep on his side, curled up with his hands under his chin.

Asami sighed as he relented. 

The Falcon drew the key from underneath his shirt. Unlocking one fragile wrist and then the other. Akihito’s blue eyes opened and he watched Asami solemnly. Perhaps this was what he had been waiting for... Asami held both wrists in one large hand, squeezing the bones together painfully as he hissed threateningly at Akihito, “You point these at me, even once, I’ll cut them off. Do you fucking doubt me boy?”

Akihito’s blond head shook side to side in answer and when Asami released them, he curled his hands up against his chest, tucked them under his own chin. Asami stripped off a piece of the sheet he had wrapped Akihito in and wound it around Aki’s wrists and hands, locking them together, tied to his collar.

He wasn’t going to give the little viper a chance to pick the locks. He yanked the covers up over Aki’s shoulders and left the room, ignoring the searching blue eyes that watched him go. Trying his best to forget about them. Not that had he had ever been able to, not in seventeen long years.

Akihito’s eyes were dry. The burning pain was in his chest and throat as he tried to understand Asami’s confusing words and actions. He hurt him brutally…and then moments later cared for the very wounds he had just caused. Why? Why were Asami’s hands cruel one moment and kind the next? What did it all mean? He closed his eyes and tried to think, but exhaustion overcame his efforts and sleep claimed him quickly.

He woke briefly in the middle of the night, to a feeling of warmth at his back, a heavy weight draped over his waist. But decided that it must have only been a dream when he woke the next morning, cold and alone.

The same dream he’d been having for seventeen long years.

-

The sun was up, the clouds outside still loomed dark and heavy with rain. Akihito was struggling to sit up, his hands tied together and to his neck where the inhumanly heavy chain was also attached. It wasn’t easy, but he had finally managed it just as Asami came storming in the door. His eyes wild; as if he half expected to find the room empty. When he saw Akihito sitting there, they lost their wildness and Asami seemed to visibly calm.

“Can you stand?”

Aki nodded his head. He thought so.

Asami reached over his head and unclipped the chain from the back of his neck. He lifted Akihito gently out of bed and stood him upright, fastening the golden shackles about his wrists before unwinding the strips of cloth. The enormous Falcon then took a white toga from over his shoulder and wrapped Aki in it, looping the fabric over his shoulders and under his arms before belting it at his waist. It was still amazing to Akihito how very gentle Asami was when he chose to be. A reminder of how he could at any moment choose NOT to be, as well. Another chain was clipped to his collar. A slender golden chain with the other end wrapped firmly around Asami’s massive fist.

“Follow me”

He turned and began to walk from the room before Akihito could comprehend. He stood there stock still for a moment and Asami whipped his head around, his golden eyes glowing in anger.

His voice was harsh and ominous as he asked, “Would you prefer to be dragged Akihito?”

“No” Akihito answered softly. He now had no doubt Asami would do it… or any of the other things he had threatened to do.

“Then come.”

Akihito did his very best to keep up. Asami’s long strides were always a challenge to match, but even more so with the chain fastened to his ankles. He had to take short quick steps and be very carefully not to trip on it, his eyes focused down on the chain so he didn’t. He struggled to catch Asami, fearful that Asami might actually drag him if he did trip. But thankfully Asami’s steps slowed somewhat. Akihito didn’t notice the way Asami’s eyes softened just a bit, as he hurried to catch up to the much larger man. Akihito had been nipping at Asami’s heels since he was little, but this was so, so very different.

A sense of dread began to fall over him as he realized where Asami was taking him. The Throne room. Where the wings of the traitors were displayed, hung on the walls like trophies. He could hear the voices coming from inside, a lot of voices. It was a big gathering. Sounded like all of the Falcon warriors were in there. And Asami had him chained like war criminal, he was going to parade him through the room, like his father used to do with his defeated enemies. Humiliating them before his kingdom. And this time Akihito’s wings would be on the wall. His beautiful, beautiful white wings.

Akihito prayed for the strength to bear it. To not break down. To not let them see him cry.

They were walking through the door before Akihito was ready. He drew a deep breath and kept his eyes down, trying to steel himself for the trial ahead. The hall went silent when Akihito and Asami entered the room, an instant hush falling over the crowd. Their usual boisterousness disappearing in an instant. Akihito’s chains clinking together was the only sound in the room. Akihito wasn’t sure what was worse. The silence…. or the whispers once they started.

Finally they reached the enormous throne and Asami sat with a smirk, his enormous legs spread. He looked every bit the dark Falcon King. Powerful, intimidating and dominating. The end of Akihito’s golden chain wrapped around his fist and forearm. His piercing eyes flicked to the cushion between his feet and he tipped his dark head meaningfully at Akihito. Akihito drew in a breath. Asami wanted him to sit at his feet, chained like a pet. Like a dog. The golden eyes were mocking, taunting, practically daring him to disobey. 

Akihito didn’t even want to think about the punishment that would entail. He shuddered involuntarily, falling to his knees carefully on the pillow between Asami’s knees. He looked up at the king. There was nothing in those eyes. Not pity, nor sadness, nor anger. Nothing. It was like his handsome face was a mask.

Akihito struggled awkwardly to sit, without the use of his hands it was difficult. And the chains were all tangled around him. He was about to fall on his face when Asami grabbed him about the waist, lifting him and positioning him comfortably, with the chains arranged behind him so they wouldn’t dig into his skin, his back tucked against the padded front of the throne, nestled between Asami's muscular legs. He kept his head down though, afraid to look at the crowd, to meet all those stares. 

He felt naked, completely exposed without his wings. Ugly and disfigured, like a freak. Utterly humiliated. He didn't dare look around, knowing that once he saw his wings on the wall, it might very well break him. Akihito squeezed his eyes closed, unable to face the ugliness of his reality, burying his face in the side of Asami’s hard thigh.

Seeking comfort from the very one who had laid him so low.

-


	47. The Silence

 

_Tell me a piece of your history_  
_that you're proud to call your own_  
_Speak in words you picked up_  
_as you walked through life alone._  
_We used to swim in your stories_  
_and be pulled down by their tide,_  
_choking on the words_  
_and drowning with no air inside._  
  
_Tell me a piece of your history_  
_that you've never said out loud._  
_Pull the rug beneath my feet_  
_and shake me to the ground._  
_Wrap me around your fingers,_  
_break the silence open wide,_  
_and before it seeps into my ears,_  
_it fills me up from the inside._

 

 

 

 

-

Need more? There's a LOT more! Come check out my Facebook and Tumblr pages if you want to know more about me and my writing!  
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